"Just as the Mediterranean links Morocco to Europe, the Atlantic coast is our gateway to Africa and the Americas. Hence my keen desire to rehabilitate our national coastline, including the part in the Moroccan Sahara region bordering the Atlantic, and re-engineer this geopolitical space at the African level," said His Majesty the King in His speech to the Nation on Monday on the occasion of the 48th anniversary of the glorious Green March.

The Sovereign added: "My goal is to transform the Atlantic region into a space for human interaction and economic integration, and to make sure it plays a key role at continental and international levels".

For this reason, HM the King said he was determined to provide the Kingdom's southern provinces with the services and infrastructure essential to their economic development, and to ensure that the large-scale projects launched there are successfully completed.

“Another goal is to facilitate connectivity between the different countries bordering the Atlantic, provide for means of transportation, build logistics platforms and consider the development of a strong, competitive national commercial marine fleet,” stressed HM the king.

In this context, the Sovereign emphasized that in order to keep pace with the economic progress and urban expansion witnessed in Moroccan Saharan cities, “we need to pursue our efforts to develop a maritime economy that contributes to prosperity in the region and serves its inhabitants”.

It should be an integrated economy based on the development of exploration for offshore natural resources and the promotion of investment in marine fishing, in addition to seawater desalination to encourage agricultural activities, promote the blue economy and support the renewable energy agenda, underlined HM the king.

In this context, the Sovereign also called for the adoption of a strategy for the promotion of tourism in the Atlantic region, making good use of the many assets available there to turn it into a prime destination for beach and Saharan tourism.