The African Training and Research Centre in Administration for Development (CAFRAD) is organizing a major international symposium titled “Morocco, a Laboratory of South-South Cooperation: a Royal Vision of Shared and Inclusive Development in Africa.” The event will take place on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the Green March, a highly symbolic date that this year coincides with a historic turning point for the Kingdom of Morocco.

Created at Morocco’s initiative with the support of UNESCO, CAFRAD is the oldest pan-African institution dedicated to the modernization of public administration. Since the election of Dr. Coffi Dieudonné Assouvi as Director General in July 2024, the institution has experienced renewed momentum and is asserting itself as a key driver of transformation, strategic reflection, and support for African governments.

The choice of this date is no coincidence. On October 31, 2025, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 2797 (2025), which enshrines the principle of autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty and formally refocuses the UN process around the Moroccan Autonomy Initiative. This major development represents a profound shift in the political and diplomatic trajectory of the Kingdom. In his address to the Nation, His Majesty King Mohammed VI described this moment as a pivotal stage opening a new chapter for Morocco and for regional cooperation.

The symposium, held under the presidency of Her Excellency Professor Amal El Fallah Seghrouchni, Minister Delegate in charge of Digital Transition and Administrative Reform, will bring together academics, researchers, diplomats, economic operators, and institutional officials from across the continent. Participants will discuss current issues related to the strategic role of Atlantic Morocco, economic and infrastructural transformations in Africa, the growing importance of the blue economy, and the challenges of security and territorial sovereignty.

Three main areas will structure the discussions: Morocco’s new port policy and its prospects; the contribution of the blue economy to African development; and the challenges related to security and territorial sovereignty in a complex regional environment.

Through this event, CAFRAD reaffirms its position as an essential pan-African platform for reflection, cooperation, and the development of modern public policies. The symposium aims to strengthen African synergies and highlight Morocco’s experience as an inspiring model of transformation, solidarity, and regional integration.

Opening of online registration (registration required to attend the symposium).