The Kingdom of Eswatini’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Pholile Dlamini Shakantu, said on Thursday that the Dakhla Atlantic Port stands as a landmark project that will open a new chapter in Africa’s connectivity and trade integration.
Speaking to the press after visiting the port’s construction site, Dlamini Shakantu highlighted that, thanks to the clear-sighted vision of King Mohammed VI, the Dakhla Atlantic Port will serve as a true bridge connecting Africa to the rest of the world.
She praised Morocco for implementing this major infrastructure entirely through national expertise and technical know-how, describing it as a “model of African development driven by domestic skills.”
The Eswatini foreign minister expressed her country’s keen interest in benefiting from the vast opportunities that the Dakhla Atlantic Port will offer, emphasizing its potential as a vital link between Africa, Europe, and South America.
“This project perfectly aligns with the vision of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA),” she said, “and will significantly boost trade exchanges between African nations.”
Beyond its economic dimension, Dlamini Shakantu reaffirmed Eswatini’s unwavering support for Morocco’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, reiterating her country’s backing of the Moroccan Autonomy Plan as “the only credible, serious, and realistic solution” to the regional dispute over the Sahara.
“Our presence in Dakhla today reflects our solidarity and support for Morocco,” she declared, adding that Eswatini looks forward to expanding bilateral cooperation in new strategic areas.
The visit to Dakhla followed a series of high-level engagements in Rabat, where Dlamini Shakantu co-chaired, alongside Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita, the inaugural session of the Joint Cooperation Commission between the two countries.
During her official trip, the Eswatini minister also visited her country’s Consulate General in Laayoune, inaugurated in October 2020. One of the first consular missions established in the capital of the Moroccan Sahara, the consulate stands as a testament to the strong and enduring friendship between the two kingdoms and their shared commitment to deepening cooperation across multiple sectors.
With the Dakhla Atlantic Port emerging as one of Morocco’s flagship infrastructure projects, Eswatini’s top diplomat stressed that it will not only strengthen Morocco’s global trade position but also serve as a catalyst for the continent’s economic transformation.
