Paraguay’s New President: Morocco is Our Ideal Gateway to Africa and the Arab World

Paraguay's new President, H.E. Santiago Peña, noted that Morocco represents an ideal gateway for Paraguay and all South American countries to Africa and the Arab world.

The statement was given during the audience granted by the President of Paraguay to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Rachid Talbi El Alami, who represented His Majesty King Mohammed VI at the investiture ceremony of the new Paraguayan President, which took place in Asunción with the presence of several world leaders and delegations of around 90 countries.

On occasion, H.E. Santiago Peña added that he and the leaders of the other region’s countries share the same vision of Morocco as a gateway to Africa and the Arab world. He also underscored the Kingdom's important role in the development of the South in general, affirming that strengthening cooperation with Morocco will advance South-South relations towards greater prosperity and progress. During the same encounter, the Paraguayan President expressed his desire to visit Morocco and establish fruitful ties with the Kingdom.

In a statement to MAP, Hon. Rachid Talbi El Alami stated that his meeting with the new Paraguayan President was an amicable opportunity where he conveyed the greetings of His Majesty the King and his praise for Paraguay’s democratic model that is similar to the Moroccan one, as both countries have established a democratic tradition of holding regular elections in full compliance with the constitutional and legal deadlines to organize elections and resort to ballots.

In this respect, Hon. Talbi El Alami stressed that Morocco is a reliable partner and a stable country at the political, social, and economic levels despite a turbulent environment, recalling that since 2000, His Majesty the King has performed around 50 visits to Africa, culminating in the conclusion of 1,500 cooperation agreements.

He also noted that the Kingdom has the largest banking network in Africa, in addition to insurance, telecommunications, and air transport companies that are active in many countries on the continent.

On the same occasion, the Speaker of the House shed light on a number of strategic projects launched by Morocco at the continental level, foremost among which is the gas pipeline project between Nigeria and Morocco. This gigantic project will have very positive outcomes for the 13 countries it will cross.

He also recalled that Morocco had built two fertilizer production plants in Ethiopia and Nigeria, intending to contribute to food security in these continent regions.

Hon. Talbi El Alami concluded that His Majesty the King believes that the future of the world lies in the South, more specifically in Africa, Latin America, and South Asia, and since a new world is taking shape, Morocco aspires, together with Paraguay, to be an active player in this world order through consolidating the excellent relations between Rabat and Asunción.

(Translated and adapted from MAP)