Abidjan - the King Mohammed VI affirmed, on Monday in Abidjan, that Morocco fully adheres to its African calling as it always has throughout its history.
"Morocco, just like Côte d'Ivoire, fully adheres to its African calling, as it always has throughout its history," said the King in a speech at the opening ceremony of the Moroccan-Ivorian economic forum.
Morocco, a pioneer in the triangular cooperation mechanism, is willing to put its credibility and the trust it enjoys with its partners at the service of sister African nations, said the sovereign, underlining Africa's need to benefit from the opportunities offered by triangular cooperation as an innovative tool that facilitates joint efforts and helps achieve optimum use of resources.
For the sovereign, the mechanisms and scope of diplomacy are expected to adapt to new realities.
"Today, as in the past, diplomatic relations are at the heart of our relationship. Even so, and considering the profound changes affecting the world, the mechanisms and scope of diplomacy - even its status in international relations - are expected to adapt to new realities," the sovereign said.
In the past, diplomacy served to consolidate political ties. Today, it is the economic dimension which predominates. It is a crucial component of diplomatic relations, the king added.
The King noted that all projects are important, provided they are relevant and designed to serve the citizen.
"Needless to say, there are projects which have nation-wide significance and impact. Morocco knows this firsthand. Our infrastructure projects have been entirely carried out relying on Moroccan expertise - from design to actual implementation - be it highways, electrification projects, dam, port or airport construction," the Monarch underlined.
The King noted the existence of projects "which, although smaller in scale, are particularly important because they have a direct bearing on the citizens and aim to improve their daily lives."
"At one time, cooperation was based on trust and on historical ties. Today, it increasingly hinges on efficiency, performance and credibility," the sovereign said.