The Moroccan Ambassador to Ghana, Imane Ouadil has commended the President, Executives and members of the Ghana Morocco Old students Association (GHAMOSA) for using their knowledge and expertise to promote and strengthen the relationship between Ghana and Morocco.
Speaking at the 10th anniversary celebration of the Association in Accra on Friday, the Ambassador said the old students are one of the important investments of the Moroccan government in Ghana and an investment in the future for the two countries and for the African continent.
She noted that the 10th anniversary of the Ghana Morocco old students Association celebration which falls on November coincides with the celebration of two important dates for “us Moroccans with a few days ago the 6th of November that celebrates the Green March and pays tribute to the many who devoted their lives to liberate our independence. I am happy to celebrate all the three events with you all tonight”.
She commended President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, and the King of Morocco, King Mohammed the VI for working together to strengthen the relationship between the two countries.
She also commended Ambassador Kwabena Anan former Ghana Ambassador to Morocco and Ambassador Tourougui, former Morocco Ambassador to Ghana for their unflinching service to strengthening the relationship between the two countries.
According to her, there has been an increase in student mobility from African countries as a result of the good cooperation agreements.
“Currently, Morocco hosts more than 18,000 students from 47 African countries, enrolled in different Moroccan higher education public institutions such as the faculties of Medicine and pharmacy, Dentistry, science and technology, engineering sciences, commerce and management technology and translation”, she stated.
Ambassador Imane Ouadil noted that the influx of foreign students has been in the order of 4, 000 new students each year where Africans represent 63% of all entrants with the assumption of 95% as scholarship holders of the Moroccan government.
“I therefore want to commend the tremendous work done by the Moroccan Agency for International Cooperation. you all know AMCI and its Director-General, Ambassador Mohammed Methqal, who is working to broaden the fields of cooperation between Morocco and its sister African countries towards increasing the number of beneficiaries of international cooperation programmes in number and type. Thanks to these efforts we have managed since 2019 to educate an additional 20 scholarships for Ghanaian students for vocational training”, she noted.
To underscore Morocco’s commitment to Africa and its youth, the Ambassador quoted King Mohamed VI’s speech from 29th African Union Summit in 2017 when Morocco re-joined its institutional African Family.
“The future of Africa depends on its youth; Africa’s young population underlines the urgency of orienting the demographic dividend towards the emergence of the continent. Africa, therefore has an unexpected opportunity to benefit from a young, educated and abundant workforce to fuel its economic growth”, King Mohammed quoted.
According to Ambassador Ouadil, Africa cannot be seen as a mere pool of opportunities.
“Africa needs to create and seize its own opportunities and generate its own wealth. I commend you, beneficiaries of Morocco government’s scholarship for stepping out of your comfort zone and moving to a new different country for years.
“While I hope the majority of your experience was enriching and exciting. I imagine there were also challenging days that made you nostalgic for home, for the nice Ghanaian dishes, yet you persevered. And when you returned to Ghana, you applied your experience in your respective fields to give back to your communities to make a difference.
“I want to announce that we are currently processing the admission files of 97 Ghanaian candidates that I hope will in a few years come back to contribute to the development of Ghana and to swell your ranks”, she announced.
The event bought together high level dignitaries like Mr. Stephen Yakubu, Upper West Regional Minister; Nii Kotey Amon II, Asere Dzaasetse of the Ga State; Mr. Farouk Aliu Mahama, Member of Parliament for Yendi; representative of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Kwabena Anan and Guinean Ambassador to Ghana among others.
In his presentation, President of the Ghana Morocco Old Students Association, Peter Panyin Anamang described the Ghana Morocco Old Students Association as a global coalition of young Ghanaian professionals trained in the Kingdom of Morocco and now integrated in various sectors of the Ghanaian economy and around the world.
He said over the last decade, the Association has undertaken a number of impactful activities which include Educational Conferences, Business Exhibition and Networking forums, Sports and Networking Festivals and many others.
These activities, he said, were to further strengthen the already existing bond between Ghana and Morocco.
Mr. Anamang commended the king of Morocco, His Majesty King Mohammed VI and former President John Agyekum Kufuor, who revived the Ghana – Morocco relations and paved way for Ghanaians to further their education in Morocco.
“I would like to use this opportunity to thank His Excellency Ambassador Kobina Annan, Former Ghana Ambassador to Morocco and Mrs. Ekua Annan. They have shown great commitment and provided guidance, encouragement and support through every stage of the formation of this Association.
“On this special day we say thank you!
We would also like to say special thanks to Ambassador Tourougui, former Morocco Ambassador to Ghana, their deputies, and staff of the Embassy for the partnership, trust, respect and making the Embassy our home. A very special thanks to CIMAF GHANA and OCP Ghana for the partnership.
The Association’s 10 Year Anniversary was launched on the theme: ‘’BUILDING TOGETHER THE AFRICA WE WANT, OUR SACRED LEGACY’’.
The Mission of the Association was to explore pathways for engaging the African youth to contribute to building the New Africa but also getting them prepared to address the pressing challenges confronting the continent and its leaders.
