Morocco: a model of soft power in Africa

Morocco has recently become a smart power in African international relations. This choice has put the country on a good path to achieve its objectives within the framework of Soft Power.
According to officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Morocco and who constitute the staff of Nasser Bourita, the assignment of 46 Moroccan diplomats to positions of responsibility within international and regional organizations in 2023 testifies to “the respect, credibility, and confidence inspired by the high vision of King Mohammed VI for a solidarity-based and pragmatic multilateralism within the international community, in the context of important global challenges” .
The world has recently changed its soft skills of multidimensional attractiveness to neighbors, and other powers in political, economic and diplomatic relations by preferring the choice of diplomacy, or what is now called soft power.
Under the reign of King Mohammed VI, reflection and action are combined to make Morocco a multidimensional power that will have a specific brand, and also a lifeline for the brotherly countries of Africa that are landlocked in their territories and suffer from economic and social precariousness.
Before addressing this subject, it should be noted that this concept refers to the ability of a state to influence other territories through its behavior, indirectly and smoothly. Many states continue to take advantage of other countries’ natural and energy resources based on military and economic power, but the term “soft power”, first used by Joseph Nye (Bound to lead: The changing nature of American power. Basic Books, 1990), has grown in importance to adapt to today’s demands and the global order. Soft power resources have a legitimizing effect on countries’ policies that others voluntarily accept.
In Morocco, it is clear that the country has adopted the soft power approach by establishing a set of foundations specific to this concept to highlight the extent of the rise of the state in multidimensional diplomacy at the African scale.
Countries are now relying on new mechanisms to trade, and soft power has replaced the use of hard power. These means are based primarily on the notion of culture in all its meanings, from socio-cultural identity to art and sport.
To this end, and aware of the potential and multidimensional implications of “national marketing”, Morocco has spared no effort to build a multifaceted national image capable of stimulating its investments and trade, particularly in Africa and more particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, which respectively represent 40% of its foreign direct investment in the world and 97% of its foreign direct investment in Africa, making it the second largest African investor on the continent.
These results come in a context characterized by an unprecedented Moroccan operation in Africa, which is within direct reach of global companies, including Moroccans, who market their products and their image with a soft intelligence covered by economic diplomacy.
In addition, security and military cooperation is another strategic dimension of Moroccan diplomacy in African countries. The Kingdom has signed several cooperation agreements in the field of security and defense with African countries, aimed at combating terrorism, organized crime, and transnational threats. This cooperation is illustrated by the training of African military personnel in Moroccan academies such as the Royal Military Academy of Meknes, and the sharing of intelligence.
In this context, Morocco has established security partnerships with Mali, Niger, and Ivory Cost, aimed at stabilizing the Sahel region. These initiatives strengthen regional security and give Morocco key positioning in the promotion of peace and security in Africa.
Similarly, Morocco’s cultural and religious diplomacy in Africa represents a relevant asset to strengthen its soft power and consolidate its position on the continent.
Religious diplomacy occupies an important place in Morocco’s soft power strategy in African countries. This strategy is based on the promotion of a moderate Islam, based on the Malekite rite, which is distinguished by the values of tolerance, coexistence and interreligious dialogue. This initiative began under the reign of the late Hassan II, who affirmed as early as the 1980s that Morocco’s mission was to preserve and disseminate the Muslim religion through ulema, mosques, etc.
This ambition was deepened by King Mohammed VI, in particular with the creation of the Mohammed VI Foundation of African Ulemas in 2015. Through the Mohammed VI Institute for the Training of Imams, Morchidines and Morchidates, Morocco has been able to train a very large number of these teachers to deploy moderate Islam in African countries such as Mali, Ivory Cost… And in doing so, Morocco could not only strengthen its position as a spiritual leader in Africa, but also use this position to foster lasting economic and political relations with these countries.
Beyond this, Morocco has just strengthened its religious, cultural and economic relations via the mausoleum of the Sufi brotherhood Tidjanya located in Fez. This place generates economic and cultural benefits for the State thanks to the expenses of pilgrims from West Africa, especially the Senegalese.
In this regard, Senegal, government and population included, will be inspired in its relations and cooperation with Morocco for centuries and especially in the secular spiritual dimension that is framed by the Tijania brotherhood. This religious side has helped to strengthen diplomatic ties and relations between two countries. In this regard, we recall the speech of King Mohammed VI on the occasion of the 41st anniversary of the Green March, delivered on November 6, 2016, in Dakar.
“Speaking to you today, on the occasion of the forty-first anniversary of the Green March, from the city of Dakar, capital of the sister Republic of Senegal, I know that you will not be surprised by such a decision. Indeed, Senegal was among the states that participated in this national epic, alongside other African and Arab countries. This country, which is so dear to us, has always been at the head of the defenders of the territorial integrity and the higher interests of the Kingdom. Moreover, he has demonstrated, by deed and by word, on several occasions, that he considers the question of the Moroccan Sahara to be his own national cause (…). I also chose Senegal because of its special place in Africa, thanks to its historical democratic model, its political and social stability and its economic dynamism. Added to this are the relations of fraternity, solidarity, and community of destiny, which unite, throughout history, the Senegalese, and Moroccan peoples, ” said the Sovereign.
Soft power has become a green card for the objectives and interests of the Moroccan Kingdom. Currently, it is necessary to move well in the world of Soft Power, which is framed by the concepts of geopolitics as a pledge and engine of take-off of countries with the objective of evolving without nuisance and without wars.