Marrakech Declaration: Morocco, US Unite against Weapons of Mass Destruction in Africa

The declaration outlines a plan of action aimed at addressing the proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) in Africa The meeting initiated between Morocco and the United States to promote the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) for African countries concluded today in Marrakech with the unanimous adoption of the joint  “Marrakech Declaration.” The declaration aims to enhance international cooperation and coordination in addressing the proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) in Africa. It outlines a comprehensive plan of action, encouraging participation from African nations as part of the PSI against the proliferation of WMD. The key objectives include encouraging African countries to endorse the PSI and actively participate in upcoming initiative meetings. The plan also includes fostering collaboration through organized exercises and workshops for new members, as well as promoting the initiative across the continent through awareness campaigns and regional meetings. The Marrakech Declaration highlights that one of the primary objectives of the conference and its follow-up process is to strengthen South-South cooperation as a framework enabling African countries to leverage synergies at the sub-regional and regional levels. In his opening address at the Marrakech conference, Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Bourita underlined the crucial role that Africa has in international cooperation efforts to address security challenges regionally and globally. The Marrakech Declaration announced the official entry of five African countries to the PSI, namely Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Zambia, Togo, and Benin. This brings the total number of African countries participating in this initiative to 11. With these new additions, the PSI now includes a total of  111 participating states. The conference, which took place between January 31 and February 2,  was chaired by Bonnie Jenkins, the Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security at the US Department of State, and Redouane Houssaini, the Director of the United Nations and International Organizations at the Moroccan Foreign Ministry. Source: Morocco World News