By Magdalene Ukuedojor
Rabat – A total of 23 African countries have converged on Rabat in Morocco to chart a new course to maximise the utilisation of the Atlantic Ocean for the benefit of the continent.
The meeting, which is on issues bordering the Atlantic ocean, will also develop an African vision that will promote the continent’s identity and security.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Atlantic is the second-largest ocean in the world, covering about 106,460,000 km².
It covers approximately 20 per cent of the earth’s surface and holds about 29 per cent of the world’s water surface area.
The ministerial meeting will focus on political dialogue, security and safety, as well as blue economy, connectivity, environment and energy.
The meeting hopes to develop an action plan to promote economic cooperation and trade, ensure maritime security, fight organised crime, piracy and trafficking along the Atlantic coast.
The African Atlantic Countries are: Nigeria, Morocco, Mauritania, Senegal, Gambia, Cape Verde, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin and Cameroon.
Others are; Sao Tome and Principe, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola, Namibia and South Africa.(NAN/vitalnewsngr.com)
