Access to the sea, ocean or even to the lake has paramount importance in building a country's foreign policy as it provides incredible opportunities. Such countries can be granted the status of a multimodal hub, providing a transit zone, attracting large investments and becoming important trading partners. At the same time, domestic and foreign policy pursued by the governments of these countries, the ability to maintain regional stability and the desire to integrate into the world community plays a big role. All this can be traced by the example of the ongoing domestic and foreign policy of the Kingdom of Morocco and the Republic of Azerbaijan.
On July 4, Morocco opened new terminals at Tanger Med port, located east of the major port city Tangier in the north of Morocco, on the coast of the Strait of Gibraltar. Many experts regarded this event as very important, as it creates an additional impetus for the development of a future investment impulse in Morocco and in Africa as a whole. Moreover, it offers a number of advantages for developing of trade, and strengthening the strategically important role of the Kingdom throughout the continent.
The Tanger port is the biggest port in Africa and the Mediterranean and one of the most popular shipping routes in the world. The total sea freight turnover equals several million tons. In 2018, the volume amounted to 3.5 million 20-foot equivalent units. After the extension, the capacity will be increased by 6 million to reach over 9 million.
Definitely, this capacity is very attractive to companies and private investors engaged in transportation between Africa, Europe, America and Asia. The opening of new terminals and an increase in capacity opens up additional economic benefits for the countries of West Africa, which accounts for about 40% of container volumes, and where the largest Moroccan firms are increasing their potential. According to port director Rachid Houari, 20% will go to Europe and 10% to America.
Therefore, Morocco will strengthen its already significant role in the development of a logistics hub in Africa – Europe – America – Asia direction.
Important to note the merits of the government of Morocco, in the successful development of bilateral relations with countries on different continents, proved to be a reliable and promising partner, as well as stable development within the country. Despite the protracted Cold War Saharan conflict between Morocco and the Polisario Front, and the separatist confrontation of the unrecognized so-called “Sahara Arab Democratic Republic (SADR)”, the Moroccan government has always advocated a peaceful resolution of the conflict. Throughout the UN backed process, Morocco has expressed its readiness to cooperate with other parties in order to promote security and stability in the region. Given the number of unsuccessful UN resolutions and plans for resolving the conflict, Morocco considers the status of large autonomy of the Sahara the optimum choice for a fair and sustainable solution to this anachronic problem in solving a long-standing problem. Indeed, the Moroccan autonomy plan, proposed in 2007, received great attention and support from the international community as the most promising political solution to resolve the conflict within the country's territorial integrity, which is a guarantee of national unity and stability in the region.
The desire of the country's leadership to maintain stability and security in the region is receiving increasing international support for Sahara issue. At the same time, the expansion of the economic potential makes this country indispensable for a number of partners in an economic and political partnership.
The position of Azerbaijan is similar in this process. Azerbaijan, using its favorable geographical position and access to the Caspian Sea, also received the status of a multimodal hub. After regaining its independence with the Soviet Union collapse, Azerbaijan has transitioned from a struggling young democracy to a major powerhouse in the South Caucasus region. Today, this country is participating in many global projects, such as Southern Gas Corridor, North-South project, Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railroad connecting East and West. The Port of Baku is the oldest and largest port on the Caspian Sea. It has already gained the status of a regional and logistics hub in Eurasia. Recently constructed new port in Alat is a transportation hub linking the west (Turkey and EU), south (Iran and India) and north (Russia). Having established itself as a country guarantor of regional stability, Azerbaijan continues to increase its economic potential, attracting more and more foreign investment.
All this is taking place against the backdrop of a protracted military conflict with neighboring Armenia, which continues to hold 20% of Azerbaijan’s territory, Nagorno-Karabakh and 7 adjacent regions, under occupation. Despite the fact that Azerbaijan has the full legal right to solve the problem by military means, the government supports a peaceful settlement of the conflict, based on international norms and principles within the territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan in accordance with 4 resolutions of the UN Security Council, demanding the immediate withdrawal of the Armenian Armed Forces from the occupied territory.
In turn, the unsuccessfully pursued policy of Armenia, both internally and externally, as well as the closed borders with Azerbaijan and Turkey, due to the conflict, do not allow Armenia to participate in large projects and engage in large-scale export or import. In addition, the lack of access to the sea put the country in a dependent geopolitical and economic position on neighboring countries. The population of this country relies only on agriculture and small exports of products by land to a number of post-Soviet countries. However, all the above arguments have a negative impact on the development of agriculture and trade, and, accordingly, on the socio-economic development of the state.
For Azerbaijan and for Morocco, there are many prospects for gaining even greater regional leadership and expanding economic potential. At the same time, both countries pursue an independent and balanced policy in which the national interests and the interests of the peoples of the two countries prevail. On its own Morocco and Azerbaijan support each other on the issue of their territorial integrity and sovereignty, and struggle for justice to be done.
Anastasia Lavrina
Leading Eurasian political analyst, international speaker and commentator on a number of television programs
