African atlantic states process launches 7th ministerial meeting in Cotonou

The seventh ministerial session of the African Atlantic States Process (AASP) opened in Cotonou this week, co-chaired by Morocco and Benin, aiming to deepen political momentum behind this continental initiative led by His Majesty King Mohammed VI.

The Moroccan delegation, led by Ambassador Mohamed Methqal—Director General of the Moroccan Agency for International Cooperation (AMCI)—includes Tarik Iziraren, Permanent Secretary of the AASP, Ambassador Rachid Rguibi to Benin, and senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation, and Moroccan Communities Abroad.

The AASP embodies King Mohammed VI’s vision to transform the African Atlantic space into a zone of shared peace, stability, and prosperity. Since its launch in Rabat in June 2022, the initiative has made significant strides: establishing a permanent secretariat in Rabat, forming three thematic working groups, and adopting a joint action program centered on political dialogue, maritime security, blue economy, ocean connectivity, energy, and marine environmental protection.

Previous ministerial meetings—held in Rabat and New York alongside UN General Assembly sessions, and in Praia in May 2025—have delivered multiple declarations and action plans. These efforts focus on strengthening cooperation among Atlantic-facing African nations in maritime security, fisheries preservation, energy transition, and sustainable development.

This week’s Cotonou meeting builds on that progress, with the goal of strengthening inter-state coordination to advance integration and co-development across the African Atlantic region.