The 25th Crans Montana Forum was held from 12 to 14 March 2015 in the southern city of Dakhla under the Patronage of His Majesty Mohammed VI, King of Morocco, on the theme of ''Africa, regional cooperation and South-South cooperation''.
Founded in 1986 in Switzerland, the Crans Montana Forum is a non-governmental organization aimed at encouraging international cooperation, dialogue, development, stability, peace and security in the world.
The Forum’s topics are part of Morocco’s commitment to South-South cooperation, expressed at the highest level of the state, and which resulted in actions of His Majesty the King Mohammed VI in favour of Africa, and the strong will of the Kingdom of Morocco to accompany the economic and social development of the countries of continent.
The Forum brought together over 800 figures from 112 countries, including Heads of Government, Ministers, Representatives of International and Regional Organizations, Members of National and International Parliaments, Representatives of Banking and Financial Institutions, and Representatives of Employers, Professional Organizations, and Civil Society , human rights activists and international media.
Among the issues examined by the participants are the challenges of African integration, Africa’s role on the international stage, the new South-South synergies of common development and the issues of natural resources and growth.
The opening ceremony was marked by a message of HM King Mohammed VI to the participants, which was described as "visionary" by UN Under-Secretary-General Philipe Douste Blazy .
"Having made South-South cooperation one of the pillars of its foreign policy, the Kingdom of Morocco has adopted a proactive policy to develop fruitful partnerships with its European, North American and Asian partners", the Sovereign said in his message.
"This is precisely the multidimensional partnership model involving several actors that we need to pursue resolutely in order to achieve greater development in Africa", the Monarch stressed.
HM the King underlined that the theme "South-South cooperation and the development of Africa", selected for the conference, is both "topical and highly pertinent", adding that it reflects a shared "ambition to place Africa at the heart of major global geopolitical concerns".
In this regard, the Sovereign noted that the underlying concepts of South-South cooperation should integrate new 21st century perspectives, given the significant impacts of globalization as a multi-faceted phenomenon.
HM the King noted that Morocco has been calling for efficient, solidarity-based cooperation that makes the most of the opportunities offered by triangular cooperation, at regional level as well as with the countries of the North, underlining that such cooperation "must be rooted in mutual esteem, be based on balanced approaches and show that the interests of the various partners concerned are duly taken into account".
The Sovereign recalled that Africa is the continent that bore the brunt of colonization and the Cold War. "Sadly, it continues to grapple with the fallout to this day", HM the King added.
The Monarch underlined the importance for African countries to innovate in order to turn the borders inherited from colonization into "open spaces where fruitful exchange and interaction can flourish between African societies".
Having highlighted the main challenges that Africa has to take up (terrorism, organized crime, trafficking in drug and human beings and religious extremism), which call for transnational responses and underscore the need for collective and concerted reflection on the security issue, the Sovereign said that one of the reasons for hope, motivation and a firm belief in our common goals is that Africa today is the continent that has the most significant multi-dimensional assets to embody the future of the world.
After highlighting the assets of Africa, the Monarch noted that "Africa today stands at a crucial juncture in its history. It needs strategies as well as innovative instruments and mechanisms to consolidate its march towards progress".
In this respect, HM the King underlined the need for Africa to free itself from the shackles of the colonial past, look resolutely to the future, be more self-confident and believe in its own capabilities.
For the Sovereign, Africa needs to develop and support win-win partnerships, bolster its share in the global wealth creation chain, push forward regional economic integration and develop common areas for shared prosperity that allow for the free movement of goods and people.
Africa also needs to invest massively in infrastructure and improve the living conditions of African citizens, as well as meet tremendous energy needs to support its development agenda successfully, the Monarch added.
To achieve this, Africa has huge potential for renewable energy production which should be tapped to promote sustainable development, the Sovereign said, adding that the "idea of a project devoted to renewable energy in Africa is especially pertinent, given the vast wind and solar energy production opportunities available in African countries bordering the Atlantic Ocean".
"Just as pertinent is the need to muster the levers of inter-African cooperation. One of the lessons of history is that economic, political and social interdependence is a prerequisite for progress. That is why we firmly believe in Morocco that isolated development will not succeed", HM the King concluded.