Here is the text of the Royal message, which was read out by the Government Chief, Abdelilah Benkirane: 

Praise be to God, May peace and blessings be upon the Prophet, His Kith and Kin

Your Excellency Mr. Alassane Ouattara, President of the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, 

Your Excellency Mr. Macky Sall, President of the Republic of Senegal, 

Your Excellency Mr. José Maria Pereira Neves, Prime Minister and Minister of State Reform in Cape Verde,

Your Excellency Mr. Carlos Lopes, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa 

Your Excellencies, 

Ladies and Gentlemen, 

It gives me great pleasure to send this message to the participants in this high-profile continental Forum and to assure them of my esteem and respect.

I should like to say how pleased we are that this Ninth African Development Forum is being held in the Kingdom of Morocco, and how much we appreciate the decision made by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa to hold this session here, outside its Addis Ababa headquarters for the first time.

By choosing the city of Marrakech to address such an important and topical theme as Innovative financing for Africa’s transformation, you are paying tribute to all that my country has done for Africa. You are also recognizing the efforts made by the Moroccan business community to contribute to our continent’s economic take-off and to its competitive integration into the flows of globalization. 

I should like, in this respect, to pay tribute to the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa and commend it on its endeavors to promote human and economic development in our continent.

As always, the United Nations can count on the Kingdom of Morocco as a committed partner that is strongly determined to continue supporting its initiatives and its constructive action for Africa. 

Surely, the fact that African countries see eye to eye concerning the conditions required for the continent’s development and economic take-off means that there are strong synergies as well as tremendous prospects for complementarity that we can build upon in the most ambitious, forward-looking manner.

Our continent is determined to adopt a proactive approach and set in motion a dynamic process for the emergence of a "new Africa"- an Africa which is proud of its identity; a modern Africa which has washed its hands of ideologies and archaic notions; a bold, enterprising Africa. 

This determination constitutes, in itself, a call to the international community for an objective approach to development issues in Africa. 

As I had the opportunity to point out at the 69th United Nations General Assembly, the issue of development in Africa is not related to the nature of the soil or the climate, but rather to deep-rooted economic dependence, weak support, inadequate sources of financing and the lack of a sustainable development model. 

Your Excellencies, 

Ladies and Gentlemen, 

As we call on the international community to have a fresh look at our continent - beyond classical patterns and approaches - we African countries are, ourselves, committed to experimenting and implementing new, innovative approaches and developing original, inclusive and mutually beneficial South-South cooperation programs. 

The Kingdom of Morocco has been constantly guided by this great ambition. In its relations with African sister nations, my country has been advocating a comprehensive, integrated approach that can at the same time promote peace and stability, enhance sustainable human development for all African men and women, ensure that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of States are respected and safeguard the cultural and spiritual identity of our peoples. 

With the same resolve, I also seek to ensure that Africa learns to trust Africa, thus enabling our continent to muster all its assets and resources so as to make the most of the opportunities offered by globalization. 

It is increasingly recognized that following the wave of independence in the 1960s, African countries are now giving shape to their economic independence. It is also generally accepted today that Africa is the new pole of global growth. 

Since the year 2000, Africa’s trade with the rest of the world has increased by 200 per cent. By 2050, there will be 2 billion people in Africa, fittingly making our continent home to the world's youngest population. The rate of poverty in Africa has been steadily declining, and regional inter-African trade is booming.

It is important to point out, in this respect, that in addition to the overall, strategic vision of Africa as a whole, the continent’s sub-regional dimension needs to be taken into account when we develop, together, operational tools and mechanisms.

This will make it possible for us to invest in regional economic communities as viable, competitive entities. As well as helping to achieve continental integration, such an approach would enable African countries to foster regional groups and promote the emergence of geo-economic areas that would help them ensure a better position in the global economy and enhance their competitiveness.

As far as the Kingdom of Morocco is concerned, this inter-African process is crucial. Thus, besides its unwavering commitment to ensuring that fresh momentum is given to the Arab Maghreb Union, Morocco has been working for closer ties with several African regional organizations such as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA), the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) and the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC). 

Morocco is particularly keen to ensure that its relations with all these economic groups are governed by a mutually beneficial, balanced and equitable strategy. 

Your Excellencies, 

Ladies and Gentlemen, 

Thanks to its great potential and enormous resources, Africa is emerging as a new pole of global growth. For this trend to be consolidated, however, we need to make sure there is an overhaul of African economies, with a clear shift towards technology-intensive, high value added activities.

To rise to this challenge, the financial aspect is of great importance. 

It goes without saying that raising domestic financial resources is essential for the sustainable financing of large investment projects - especially infrastructure - and for making our countries better prepared to meet the post-2015 development objectives. 

It is just as important for the international community to show greater imagination and creativity in devising innovative financing instruments that can effectively support the economic transformation of Africa as well as sustainable development in the continent.

The setting up, by the Kingdom of Morocco, of the "Casablanca Finance City" as a finance hub will promote Africa’s integration into international finance, facilitate inter-African trade and channel global savings towards investment in the continent. More and more international investors see in "Casablanca Finance City" not only a platform for financial transactions but also a gateway to African markets.

We welcome, in particular, the establishment, with the support of the African Development Bank, of the Africa50 Fund, to be hosted by the Casablanca Finance City. This Fund will provide our continent with an innovative mechanism to increase large-scale resource mobilization and to attract private financing for the promotion of development as well as infrastructure projects in Africa. 

In the same way, our efforts to mobilize financial resources for Africa should encourage public-private partnerships and induce the private sector to get involved in high value added sectors, such as renewable energy, agriculture, technology and infrastructure. 

Your Excellencies, 

Ladies and Gentlemen, 

Given this great potential and all these assets, it is more relevant than ever to recognize that, today, Africa needs win-win partnerships rather than conditional support - partnerships that can act as a catalyst for mobilizing financial resources, foster regional economic integration and improve Africa’s position in the international value creation chain.

Moreover, the international community’s mobilization to support Africa financially should include other important dimensions and parameters such as good governance, strong institutions, institutional reliability and capacity building, regional and intergenerational cohesion and human resource development. 

Our changing continent brings a message of hope and revival to the international community. By uniting and pooling our energies, we shall rise together to the great challenge of the 21st century: that of a united, stable and prosperous Africa. 

I wish your Forum every success.

Thank you.

Wassalamu alaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh.