The 17th MEDays Forum opened in Tangier today, drawing over 7,000 participants from more than 120 countries to address global challenges and international cooperation.
The four-day gathering, running through November 29, brings presidents, prime ministers, and 300 high-level speakers to Morocco’s northern port city to discuss evolving global dynamics and international partnerships.
Brahim Fassi Fihri, president and founder of the MEDays Forum Foundation, described the gathering as a platform for nations actively shaping their futures. “We are living in a time of fracture — political fracture, social fracture, fracture of trust,” he said at the opening ceremony.
Morocco has emerged as a significant player in international relations, with King Mohammed VI’s foreign policy positioning the country as “an actor that is African by its identity, Atlantic by its ambition, Mediterranean by its openness, and universal by its vocation for dialogue,” Fassi Fihri noted.
The forum occurs as Morocco receives international support for its diplomatic initiatives. Fassi Fihri mentioned recent developments in international relations, noting that “More than 120 countries officially support the Moroccan plan. More than 30 consulates have opened in Laayoune and Dakhla,” citing recent openings by Gambia and Liberia.
Gambian President Adama Barrow recalled the opening of his country’s consulate-general in Laayoune in January 2020, reflecting his country’s commitment to international cooperation and regional partnerships.
Morocco’s Atlantic initiative, launched by King Mohammed VI in 2023, aims to enhance regional connectivity and infrastructure development with several African nations.
“The Atlantic becomes a new center of gravity where continents meet and energize through the basin,” Fassi Fihri explained. “It is from the Atlantic that the geo-economy of the 21st century will be written in Africa.”
Liberian President Joseph Nyuma Boakai emphasized the importance of African nations actively participating in global economic systems.
“Africa must stand not as an object, but as an architect shaping our own destiny,” he said.
Boakai called for unity on multiple fronts including security, economic governance, and regional integration. “No nation has developed by exporting raw materials alone. Africa must break from that,” he noted.
He encouraged international investors to support industries that process minerals and build sustainable economies. “When investors adapt, Africans are no longer bystanders. Africans become contributors.”
Grenadian Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell highlighted climate change’s impact on small island nations, describing recent hurricane damage in the Caribbean region.
“Climate change is not a future scenario. It’s not hype anymore. It’s a lived reality,” Mitchell said.
“When we speak of reinventing the global equation, we speak from the perspective of countries for whom global climate policy is a matter of survival.”
The forum, often referred to as “the African Davos,” will conclude on November 29 with the MEDays Awards recognizing contributions to international cooperation.
The gathering positions Morocco as a bridge between continents and a leader in international cooperation at a time when global institutions face evolving challenges.
Source: Morocco World News