"Africa50 is called to fully play its role as a pathfinder, catalyst for investment, and a driving force for the development of Africa, with the support of its shareholders and international institutions working in this direction," the minister said at the opening of the Africa50 General Shareholders Meeting, held under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI.

Fettah Alaoui, who is the co-chair of the Africa50 Board of Directors, noted that "this general shareholders meeting comes "at a crucial time" as the continent needs strong, innovative, and bold responses to accelerate the pace of infrastructure development in Africa.

"Given the magnitude of projects to be carried out, public finances alone cannot finance the development of the continent, especially as they have been weakened by the Covid-19 crisis," she observed.

The Minister called for strengthening the resilience of African economies to meet the challenges of sustainable development and inclusion through sustained support to priority sectors such as infrastructure.

"African countries, like Morocco, have significant infrastructure needs. Under the 2063 Agenda, Africa aims to establish world-class infrastructure to promote connectivity of the continent," the minister said.

Ms. Fettah Alaoui recalled that Morocco's vision regarding cooperation with other countries in Africa is not new as it has been supported to the highest level by HM King Mohammed VI for several years.

"Cooperation between Morocco and Africa is indeed of particular importance. The unique and historic links between Morocco and Africa are of particular importance," she concluded.