The 14th Policy Center for the New South (PCNS)’s annual international conference, "The Atlantic Dialogues," held under the High Patronage of HM King Mohammed VI, opened on Thursday in Rabat.
The opening of this event, held at the PCNS headquarters on the Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) campus, was attended by HM the King’s Advisor, André Azoulay, as well as prominent Moroccan and foreign figures, diplomats, researchers, and experts from think tanks and the private sector.
This edition, running on December 11–13, is built on the 2024 edition, which expanded its format into a multidisciplinary platform, and aims to analyze the multiple ongoing crises and propose reform pathways suited to contemporary realities.
The Executive President of the Policy Center for the New South, Karim El Aynaoui, stated that this gathering is intended to be an open space "where we can meet and engage in constructive and reasonable discussion in line with the Vision of HM King Mohammed VI."
Over the years, "The Atlantic Dialogues" has embodied "a culture of structured and organized debate that the Center strives to disseminate, promote, and transmit to younger generations in Morocco and beyond, he noted.
According to him, "holding this conference at UM6P is no coincidence; it is part of the continuity of a sophisticated intellectual infrastructure that we are working to build" within the PCNS.
He also pointed out that crucial themes such as North–South relations, the promotion of multilateralism, and the influence of regional groupings have always been at the heart of the Conference’s debates and discussions since its launch in 2012.
The conference stands as a crossroads bringing together the four Atlantic continents, with the ambition of renewing understanding of inter-Atlantic dynamics and highlighting the growing strategic role of the South Atlantic in global economic and geopolitical debates.
At the start of the event, a first panel examined democracy’s ability to deliver on its promises in a world marked by eroding trust and profound transformations.
The conference is organized around nine plenary sessions covering a range of themes, along with twenty small-group workshops, providing an ideal setting for in-depth discussions on Atlantic dynamics and the emerging challenges of international cooperation.
The conference addresses topics that have received limited attention, such as the growing importance of international maritime corridors as strategic commons for global trade, the reduction of geopolitical tensions, and the protection of marine ecosystems.
The Atlantic Dialogues aim to foster concrete exchanges that lead to tangible outcomes, bringing together a community of over 2,000 participants who share a renewed vision of Atlantic challenges and opportunities. Carefully moderated discussions encourage open and informal interactions between the audience and experts.
The event opened with the presentation of the 12th edition of the Atlantic Currents report by the Policy Center for the New South, which has been analyzing major trends in the Atlantic Basin since 2014.
Alongside the conference, the Policy Center for the New South is organizing the 12th edition of the Atlantic Dialogues Emerging Leaders (ADEL) program, targeting 40 young professionals aged 25 to 35, primarily from countries across the Atlantic region.
MAP:11 December 2025
