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The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Development, and Water and Forests, Ahmed El Bouari, held a series of high-level bilateral meetings on Wednesday in Meknes with several of his peers and senior officials from Africa, the Arab world, and the Caribbean region, reaffirming the Kingdom’s commitment to consolidating bilateral relations and South-South agricultural cooperation.
These meetings, held on the sidelines of the 18th edition of the International Agricultural Exhibition in Morocco (SIAM) as part of the continuous strengthening of ties with brotherly countries on the African continent, notably involved Mali, Côte d’Ivoire, Sao Tome and Principe, Uganda, as well as the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development (AOAD).
Speaking to the press, El Bouari indicated that these discussions helped consolidate the convergence of visions between Morocco and its African partners around common strategic priorities, particularly food security, livestock development, the modernization of agricultural value chains, and adaptation to climate change.
The minister emphasized the importance of strengthening the resilience of agricultural systems through the sharing of expertise, capacity building, and the establishment of mutually beneficial operational partnerships, adding that this dynamic aligns with the enlightened vision of His Majesty King Mohammed VI for a supportive African cooperation oriented towards concrete results.
El Bouari also stressed the need to intensify technical and institutional exchanges to support structural transformations in the agricultural sector and promote sustainable and inclusive development across the continent.
For his part, the Malian Minister of Livestock and Fisheries, Youba Bah, commended the quality of relations between Mali and Morocco, stating that the discussions provided an opportunity to review existing agreements and outline new prospects for cooperation, particularly in the field of artificial insemination for cattle and horses.
He recalled that his country wishes to strengthen food and nutritional sovereignty by working to finalize a joint roadmap for the 2026-2028 period.
The Ivorian Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Food Production, Bruno Nabagné Koné, highlighted the solid ties between Morocco and Côte d’Ivoire, noting that SIAM provides a privileged framework for exchanges between African and international countries.
He expressed his country’s desire to draw inspiration from the Moroccan experience in several agricultural fields, reviewing the numerous investment opportunities offered by Côte d’Ivoire, particularly in cash crops, food crops, and livestock production.
Furthermore, as part of the support for agricultural integration in the Arab world, discussions with the Director General of the AOAD, Ahmed El Dakhiri Ibrahim Adam, focused on the need to pool efforts to strengthen regional food sovereignty and promote sustainable and productive agricultural systems.
El Dakhiri underscored the convergence between the Organization’s initiatives and the orientations of the “Generation Green” strategy, which is considered a structuring framework for agricultural development, highlighting Morocco’s commitment within the AOAD and its support for regional agricultural initiatives.
The Ugandan Minister of State for Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, Kyakulaga Fred Bwino, expressed his gratitude to Morocco for sharing experiences and initiatives with African countries, praising the spirit of solidarity and cooperation that characterizes this approach.
He mentioned the lessons learned from participating in the 18th SIAM, particularly regarding agricultural technologies and continental integration, affirming his country’s willingness to strengthen its collaboration with the Kingdom and to actively participate in future editions of the exhibition.
For his part, the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development of Sao Tome and Principe, Nilton Garrido de Sousa Pontes, indicated that his country wants to benefit from Moroccan expertise, notably in the areas of training, research, water resource management, and the development of agricultural and fisheries sectors.
In a dynamic of multilateral openness, these meetings were also marked by exchanges with representatives of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), who expressed their interest in developing technical partnerships with Morocco regarding agricultural resilience to climate change.
Source: map
