The Atlas Lions of Morocco will be flying the African flag in the quarter-finals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar as the only African National team standing. Morocco is the only African team left in the on-going FIFA World Cup after beating Spain in the round of sixteen stage to reach the quarter-finals of the competition. The Moroccan victory over Spain made the Atlas Lions of Morocco the 4th African National team to reach the quarter-finals of the World Cup after Cameroon, Senegal and Ghana.
Amidst the celebrations across the continent of Africa, something very historic happened in Morocco, the King of Morocco, King Mohammed VI came out to celebrate with his people on the street. What did the King come out to celebrate? The victory of Africa! The Moroccan King’s commitment to defending Africa’s causes and interests is not new. It reflects a standard policy consistently carried out by his grandfather, King Mohammed V and his father King Hassan II, which has been proudly and confidently pursuing by King Mohammed VI.
The Moroccan Monarchy’s commitment to Africa and pan-African causes, manifested more in King Mohammed VI’s diplomatic orientations. His Majesty King Mohammed VI’s ties to the African continent is not of recent origin, even at a young age, the Crown Prince visited many African countries to hand over private messages of his father to many African Presidents and led Moroccan delegations to several regional conferences. True to the Monarchy’s commitments to Pan-Africanism, King Mohammed VI has never ceased to advocate for the African cause with regional and international bodies in the area of security, peace and development. King Mohammed VI’s responses to many complex regional and international issues such as development, migration, education, corruption, climate change and the fight against terrorism, as well as the fight against Ebola and COVID-19 pandemic on the continent are in line with the firm commitment of the Moroccan monarchy to serve African people.
His Majesty King Mohammed VI is an exceptional African leader in whom virtually every African can see themselves: those on the far reaches of poverty, conflict and despair find in him an ally. Under the reign of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, the Kingdom of Morocco has contributed to the consolidation of peace in Africa, through its participation in several peacekeeping missions, that is why Morocco was elected to the Africa Union Peace and Security Council.
Even before the Kingdom reclaimed its natural place within its African family, King Mohammed VI made the continent’s voice heard at the international level. He worked on the front lines to serve the continent’s interest. He carried on well-established ties with African countries. His tour in African countries evidences the King’s resolve to sustain an Africa-oriented policy and an unfailing solidarity that was shown when his father King Hassan II committed himself to help African countries gain their independence, build up their unity and promote their development.
Peter Panyin Anaman
President, Ghana Morocco Old Students Association (GHAMOSA)