In an analysis under the title “Morocco: how the kingdom built its African leadership”, the French publication underlines that since the kingdom’s return to the African Union and following the growing support of African countries for the recognition of the Moroccanness of the Sahara, 15 countries have opened a consulate in the southern provinces in 2020.

Moroccan leadership is also based on bilateral and multisectoral diplomacy, in the light of the numerous visits made by HM King Mohammed VI to African countries, the magazine notes.
In a period of 15 years (2001-2016), HM King Mohammed VI carried out nearly 40 State visits to the continent, establishing new multisectoral cooperation frameworks, particularly with French-speaking countries, the source says.

In the same perspective, all ministries, as well as the private sector were involved in this effort to establish a legal framework, standards and cooperation rules to facilitate the work of the public and private sectors, the magazine explains, adding that the royal visits have produced positive results very quickly.

As early as 2016, a dozen African countries, out of the 26 which usually supported Algerian positions, officially withdrew their recognition of the "Polisario Front", while 28 African countries submitted a motion to suspend the so-called SADR from the African Union, adds the French magazine, noting although this motion was not approved, it nevertheless “marked a decisive reversal of the continental balance of power”, Morocco being now recognized as a continental power, just like South Africa or Nigeria.

According to Le Point, "diplomatic recognition of Moroccan territorial integrity was not, however, the only leitmotif of this African policy, especially since the beginning of the reign of HM King Mohammed VI, Morocco has become more open to global capital markets and engaged domestically in the quest for emergence through economic growth ".

This quest has been illustrated by considerable investments in urban and rural infrastructure, the transition to manufacturing production and the maintenance of a growth rate of 4% on average since the 2000s, the source stresses, adding that private companies now wish to offer their services outside Moroccan borders and invest in new markets.

The Moroccan economic presence is felt in various sectors in Africa, including mining industries, infrastructure, banking and insurance, agriculture and agro-food, telecommunications and finance, Le Point says, noting that the Kingdom has become the largest African investor in West Africa and the second on the continent, after South Africa.