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  • ROYAL ACTIVITIES

    Royal activities

    His Majesty King Mohammed VI sent a message of congratulations to the members of the Renaissance Sportive of Berkane (RSB) club, over winning the ...
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    On the occasion of the 66th anniversary of the creation of the Royal Armed Forces (FAR), HM King Mohammed VI, Supreme Commander and Chief of Genera ...
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    Speeches and messages of HM The King

    • HM the King Congratulates Georgian President on National Day
      26 mai 2022
      His Majesty King Mohammed VI has sent a congratulatory message to the President of Georgia, Salomé Zourabichvili, on the occasion of her country's national holiday. ...
    25 mai 2022
    HM the King Extends Condolences to Family Members of Artist Sakina Safadi
    25 mai 2022
    HM the King Congratulates Jordanian Sovereigns on Independence Day
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    A diplomatic forum celebrating the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Morocco and Kaz ...
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    The Network of Sports Journalists of Press Agencies, members of the Atlantic Federation of African Press Agencies (RJS-F ...
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    Malaysia's Kuala Lumpur hosted, on Wednesday evening, the Africa Day, with the participation of several diplomatic ...
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    The available blood supply amounts currently to only 4,200 bags, which cover up to four days only, deplored, Thursday in ...
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    The Council of Government, convened Thursday under the chairmanship of the Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch, approved ...
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    Minister Delegate in charge of Budget, Fouzi Lekjaa, said on Thursday that cereals, energy products and imported commodi ...
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  • Politics : Morocco, Kazakhstan Celebrate 30th Anniversary of Establishment of Diplomatic Relations

    This celebration was complemented by a photo exhibition and the screening of a film showcasing the momentum experienced by Kazakhstan in various fields. The event was an opportunity to highlight the dynamism marking the relations of friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

    In a speech, Kazakh Ambassador to Morocco, Saulekul Sailaukyzy, pointed out that the Kingdom was among the first countries to recognize the independence of Kazakhstan.

    This celebration is an opportunity "to give our trade and economic relations a new impetus to raise them to the level of our privileged political relations," she added.

    The opening to foreign markets and the economic potential of Morocco and Kazakhstan offer new opportunities for efficient cooperation, she pointed out.

    The diplomat also noted that the holding this year of the 4th session of the Morocco-Kazakhstan political consultations will give a new impetus to the relations of partnership and cooperation between the two countries by consolidating them in accordance with the political agenda.

    For his part, Abdelkader El Ansari, Asia and Oceania Director at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans Abroad, said that this celebration "testifies to how old our bilateral relations are."

    "Morocco was among the first countries to recognize and establish diplomatic relations with Kazakhstan in 1972. Since then, our relations have always been marked by mutual respect, friendship and solidarity," he noted.

    Morocco sees Kazakhstan as an important partner in the Central Asian region, said, for his part, Abdeljalil Saubry, Morocco's first Ambassador to Kazakhstan, highlighting several areas are of particular importance to both countries including agriculture, renewable energy, tourism and trade, among others.

    Diplomatic relations between the Kingdom of Morocco and the Republic of Kazakhstan were established in 1992. An embassy of Kazakhstan in Morocco was opened on December 30, 2020.

    Thursday, 26 May, 2022 - 22:02 /en/actualites/politics/morocco-kazakhstan-celebrate-30th-anniversary-establishment-diplomatic-relations  
  • Politics : Morocco Autonomy Plan: Growing International and Regional Support

    Any attentive observer of the artificial dispute over the Moroccan Sahara would agree that this dispute is costly to the development and integration process of the Maghreb and that it can only be resolved through an autonomy plan under Moroccan sovereignty.

    In this spirit, several prominent figures from the Maghreb region (intellectuals, political actors, and associations ...) have recently met in Laayoune to launch a civil body to support the autonomy plan, known as the Coordination for the implementation of the autonomy plan in the Sahara.

    The creation of this structure, chaired by former Tunisian FM Ahmed Ounaies, was announced on the occasion of the first Maghreb Forum in support of the autonomy plan in the Sahara under Moroccan sovereignty.

    On this occasion, Ounaies described Morocco's sovereignty over its Sahara as "a cornerstone" for the establishment of a stable, balanced and effective Maghreb Union, noting that the autonomy plan is the serious and credible solution that guarantees the stability of the region and its progress.

    The autonomy plan proposed by Morocco in 2007 has received great international support, and we can only engage in the same approach because it is our duty to support the sovereignty of Morocco to preserve the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our countries, said Algerian journalist Walid Kabir, President of the Maghreb Association for Peace, Cooperation and Development, and organizer of the Forum.

    The autonomy plan, he added, will be a model for decentralization and local governance in the framework of national states.

    Participants in the Forum stressed that the artificial dispute over the Moroccan Sahara is one of the major obstacles to the establishment of a strong and united Maghreb Union, praising the accomplishments of the Kingdom in terms of achieving advanced regionalization.

    They also noted that the current challenges on the regional and international levels require solidarity and cooperation between the countries of the region.

    The coordination, whose board is made up of 15 members representing the five countries of the region (Tunisia, Libya, Algeria, Mauritania and Morocco), aims to support the autonomy plan under the full sovereignty of the Kingdom.

    Besides bringing together all North Africans who believe in a true Maghreb Union of cooperation and development, the new framework will combat separatist ideas that destroy nations and encourage the building of a competitive Maghreb economy.

    This event was attended by figures from the Maghreb region and Africa, as well as representatives of diplomatic missions accredited in Laâyoune and local civil society stakeholders.

    Thursday, 26 May, 2022 - 22:00 /en/actualites/politics/morocco-autonomy-plan-growing-international-and-regional-support  
  • Economy : Cereals, Energy Products, and Imported Commodities Are Available - Official

    Speaking at a press briefing following the weekly Cabinet meeting, Lekjaa provided data on the status of these products in light of the economic situation marked by the health crisis.

    He also spoke of the measures taken to protect the purchasing power of citizens, confirming the availability of cereals, energy products and imported commodities.

    Recalling that price hikes are spurred by increased transportation costs of goods, Lekjaa said that dealing with this crisis requires continuous efforts to ensure the availability of all products for all citizens.

    Controlling the inflation rate and keeping it at check requires tax and monetary policies based on daily monitoring, he said. The inflation rate reached 4.1% by the end of April, while inflation rates in the countries of the region range between 6.5% and 7% against 6.1% in Europe, Lekjaa concluded.

    Thursday, 26 May, 2022 - 21:00 /en/actualites/economy/cereals-energy-products-and-imported-commodities-are-available-official  
  • Regional : Surinamese FM Visits Dakhla's Infrastructure for Valorization of Fisheries Products

    In a statement to MAP at the end of his visit, Ramdin stressed the importance of the infrastructure of the Dakhla-Oued Eddahab region. The purpose of this visit is to examine the possibilities of partnership in the fisheries sector, with a view to strengthening bilateral trade relations, he said.

    Ramdin also highlighted the opportunities offered in seafood exports, stressing the need to capitalize on the Moroccan experience in this area.

    The official added that the opening of a Consulate General of Suriname in Dakhla marks a new era in the strengthening of bilateral economic and trade relations.

    Ramdin and the delegation accompanying him visited the National School of Commerce and Management (ENCG) and the Palace of Congress in the city.

    Earlier in the day, the Republic of Suriname opened a consulate general in Dakhla, thus marking its strong support for Morocco's sovereignty over its Sahara and its territorial integrity. 

    The number of consulates opened in Morocco's southern provinces increased to 25 (13 in Dakhla and 12 in Laayoune).

    Thursday, 26 May, 2022 - 20:59 /en/actualites/regional/surinamese-fm-visits-dakhlas-infrastructure-valorization-fisheries-products  
  • Sport : FAAPA: African Sports Journalists Form Network

    The network aims to promote the exchange of experiences and data as well as the sharing of skills among its members in all areas of common interest, especially in the field of sports journalism.

    The members of this new network intend to hold seminars and thematic conferences under the umbrella of FAAPA, and in partnership with other African and international organizations and institutions.

    FAAPA is organizing, from May 23 to 27 in Rabat, a training seminar under the theme "Mastery of techniques for good practice of sports journalism", for more than twenty journalists from African news agencies.

    Held at the African Center for Training of Journalists (CAFJ), at MAP's headquarters, this training seminar is supervised and facilitated by professional journalists and trainers experts in sports journalism, who will accompany the participants for five days and share with them their experiences and their thoughts on the challenges that face the journalists and sports media.

    The RJS-FAAPA operates with the active support and expertise of its members. It can, when necessary, enlist the help of experts or external organizations.

    The network was created to facilitate knowledge, information flow and mutual assistance among FAAPA member journalists, Mamadou Salif Diallo, head of the sports department at the Senegalese News Agency (APS) told MAP.

    This new network, intends to launch soon an award dedicated to African sportspeople, he stated, adding that the idea of this African sports award will be proposed to the approval of the FAAPA General Assembly.

    In addition to a secretary general and a general coordinator, the network includes seven advisory members representing the Burkina News Agency (AIB), Cape Verdean News Agency (INFORPRESS), Gabonese News Agency (AGP), the Namibia News Agency (NAMPA), the Nigerian News Agency (NAN), the Sierra Leone News Agency (SLENA) and Morocco's News Agency (MAP).

    Thursday, 26 May, 2022 - 20:57 /en/actualites/sport/faapa-african-sports-journalists-form-network  
  • General : Blood Supply Covers up to Four Days (Official)

    "Our goal is to ensure a safe national supply of blood that covers at least seven days," Baitas told a press briefing following the weekly meeting of the Government Council, held under the presidency of the head of government, Aziz Akhannouch.

    "We must collect more than 1,000 blood bags per day with the aim of reaching 5,000 bags," he said, adding that the ministry of Health and Social Protection continues, through the National Center for blood transfusion, to conduct several campaigns and initiatives to alleviate the shortage of blood.

    Thursday, 26 May, 2022 - 20:36 /en/actualites/general/blood-supply-covers-four-days-official  
  • Politics : HM the King Places African Citizen at the Heart of His Concerns, Ambassador Says

    "Africa Day (May 25) provides an opportunity to highlight Morocco's African commitment and its solidarity with the 54 countries of the continent in accordance with the far-sighted vision of HM the King, who places the African citizen at the heart of his concerns and promotes the dimensions of peace, security and development for the emergence of a strong, united and secure Africa", the Moroccan diplomat pointed out at a ceremony organized in Lima to celebrate this day.

    Morocco was the guest of honor at this ceremony, organized Thursday at the National Afro-Peruvian Museum by the Congress' Foreign Relations Committee as part of the celebration of the 59th World Africa Day, according to a statement from the Moroccan embassy.

    The event was attended in particular by Mrs. Maria Alva Prieto, Speaker of the Congress of the Republic, Mr. Ernesto Bustamante Donayre, President of the Congress's Foreign Relations Committee and President of the Morocco-Peru parliamentary friendship group, Peruvian MPs of African origin, members of the Afro Peruvian association and representatives of the ministry of Foreign Affairs.

    Mr. Chaoudri stressed that "Morocco's African vocation is materialized, in particular, through the Kingdom's return to its African institutional family, the various official visits made by HM the King to several African countries, the signing of several agreements related to investment and cooperation and the opening of consulates, mostly from African countries, in the Moroccan Sahara".

    The Kingdom, he added, has always affirmed its African identity by placing the continent at the center of its diplomatic priorities and by attaching great importance to the development of its relations with African countries at the political, socio-economic, cultural and spiritual levels.

    For her part, Mrs. Maria Prieto noted that in order to strengthen the contributions of the African embassies in Lima, in this case that of Morocco, on the basis of the historical and cultural ties that bind them, Peru is called upon to give a new dimension to its diplomatic and economic relations with the countries of the African continent.

    For his part, Mr. Ernesto Bustamante Donayre underlined that Africa is the cradle of mankind, stressing the need to highlight the contribution of the African element for the development and progress of the Andean country.

    In the evening, a reception was organized at the Moroccan residence in honor of the Speaker of the Congress, the President of the Foreign Relations Committee, as well as other members of the Congress, diplomats and friends of Morocco.

    Thursday, 26 May, 2022 - 20:33 /en/actualites/politics/hm-king-places-african-citizen-heart-his-concerns-ambassador-says  
  • Economy : Tourism: Positive Prospects for Summer - Gov't Spokesman

    "Several factors have contributed to positive signals, especially for seaside destinations where the occupancy rate could reach nearly 80% during the summer," Baitas said at a press briefing after the weekly Cabinet meeting.

    The Ministry of Tourism strove to secure 2 million overnight stays through online bookings, 360,000 tourists through traditional bookings, and 4.25 million seats on flights to Morocco, he explained.

    "We expect a recovery of the tourism sector in the summer of 2022, especially with the return of the Moroccan community abroad," said the Minister Delegate to the Minister of Economy and Finance in charge of the budget, Faouzi Lakjaa.

    The minister noted that the 2 billion dirhams (MAD) plan to support the tourism sector was not intended to accompany day-to-day management of hotels and tourist establishments, but rather their upgrading.

    Thursday, 26 May, 2022 - 20:13 /en/actualites/economy/tourism-positive-prospects-summer-govt-spokesman  
  • Economy : Compensation Fund: Expenses at MAD 15 Bln End-April - Official

    "The stability of public transport prices in all categories costs more than 540 million dirhams per month and the a bottle of gas costs 116 dirhams," said Lekjaa at a press briefing following the weekly Cabinet meeting.

    The minister delegate stressed that the government has made every effort to increase direct income through taxes, and indirect revenues through innovative financing.

    These efforts have helped to cope with these expenses without resorting to an amending Finance Act, he added.

    Lekjaa also highlighted the International Monetary Fund (IMF) reports welcoming the efforts made by the Kingdom to cope with the impact of the economic crisis, and the stability of the country's sovereign rating despite the impact of the crisis.

    Thursday, 26 May, 2022 - 19:25 /en/actualites/economy/compensation-fund-expenses-mad-15-bln-end-april-official  
  • Politics : Morocco's Role in Supporting Africa's Development and Unity Highlighted in Mexico City

    The event, organized by Morocco's Embassy in Mexico City in coordination with the Fatima Mernissi Chair at the Autonomous University of Mexico, was an opportunity to highlight the Kingdom's contribution, under the leadership of HM King Mohammed VI, to the development of Africa and the reinforcement of solidarity between its countries.

    Speaking on this occasion, Morocco's Ambassador to Mexico, Abdelfattah Lebbar, underlined the depth of the Kingdom's African roots and its continued dedication to the rise of a strong and bold Africa capable of defending its interests and making its voice heard on the international scene.

    Morocco's return to the African Union (AU) allowed the country to consolidate its African membership through the establishment of about 1,000 cooperation agreements with other African states, the diplomat said, adding that the Kingdom's attachment to the emancipation of Africa is one of the priorities of its foreign policy.

    South Africa's ambassador to Mexico, Dennis Thokozani Dlomo, highlighted Morocco's significant contribution to addressing major African issues, from tireless support for liberation movements in Africa to its efforts for economic development of the continent.

    "Morocco has provided significant support to former President Nelson Mandela. It also backed the struggle of the South African people to free themselves from the yoke of apartheid," the diplomat told MAP.

    In Dlomo's opinion, Africa is now facing major challenges that require a sustained and global economic momentum and the combined efforts of all its countries to move forward on the path of progress and solidarity sustainable.

    In similar remarks, the Ambassador of Côte d'Ivoire in Mexico City, Robert Djérou LY, said that Africa Day is an opportunity to recall Morocco's historic contribution to the political emancipation of the continent, and to emphasize the country's commitment under the wise leadership of HM the King to Africa's stability and prosperity.

    "The Kingdom's commitment to Africa is illustrated by the significant investments and cooperation agreements it has signed with many African countries to accelerate development and ensure a prosperous future," he said.

    Djérou LY also recalled the solidarity of the Kingdom with other African countries during the Covid-19 pandemic.

    As for Guadalupe Valencia García, coordinator of the Faculty of Humanities at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, she stressed that the celebration of Africa Day is an opportunity to emphasize the importance of stronger relations between Morocco and Mexico considering the strategic geographical position of these two countries as a gateway to Africa and Latin America.

    The celebration of Africa Day was attended by many African and Arab diplomatic representatives in Mexico, as well as academics, students of the National Autonomous University of Mexico, and members of local associations of indigenous peoples and Afro-American communities.

    The event was marked by the screening of "Morocco and the liberation movements in Africa," a documentary by Hassan El Bahrouti which highlights the most significant stages of Morocco's struggle against colonialism in the continent since independence. The Moroccan Embassy also organized a stand that offered an overview of the Kingdom's gastronomy.

    Thursday, 26 May, 2022 - 19:21 /en/actualites/politics/moroccos-role-supporting-africas-development-and-unity-highlighted-mexico-city  
Thursday 26 May 2022 | 22:30

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Full Text of Royal Message to the 27th African Union Summit

17 July 2016 Printable Version
kigali - HM King Mohammed VI sent a message to the 27th Summit of the African Union, which is being in Kigali.

The Royal Message was handed over, on Sunday, to Chadian President and current Chairman of the African Union (AU), Idriss Deby Itno, by speaker of Morocco's Lower House, Rachid Talbi Alami.

Here follows the full text of the royal message:


Praise be to God

May peace and blessings be upon The Prophet, His Kith and Kin

 

Your Excellency, Mr. Idriss Deby Itno, President of the Republic of Chad and Chairman of the 27th Summit of the African Union,

Your Excellency Mr. Paul Kagame, President of the Republic of Rwanda and Host of the Summit,

Distinguished Heads of State and Government,

 

Your Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

 

It is with no small measure of emotion that I am addressing our great, lofty African family today.

I am doing so as the grandson of His Majesty King Mohammed V, who was one of the emblematic figures of the development of Pan-African consciousness as well as one of the most committed architects of the historic 1961 Casablanca Conference - alongside Presidents Jamal Abdel Nasser, Ferhat Abbes, Modibo Keita, Sekou Toure and Kwame N'Kruma - a conference which heralded the advent of an emancipated Africa and which paved the way for African integration.

I am also addressing you as the son of His Majesty King Hassan II, who, that same year, convened the Conference of Nationalist Organizations of Portuguese Colonies, who patiently contributed to ensuring stability in many regions of our Continent and who strengthened the bonds of brotherhood and friendship with many African countries.

I am also speaking to you as the King of an African country - a country whose identity has been shaped as much by geography as by a common history with several defining milestones and by centuries of human intermingling, enriched by time-honored cultural and spiritual values.

Mine is a country whose commitment to just causes needs no further proof. Indeed, my country has been and always will be guided by an unshakable faith in Africa, in a Continent which derives its strength from its economic riches and potential, which is proud of its cultural and spiritual heritage, and which confidently looks to the future.

 

Mr. Chairman,

Distinguished Heads of State and Government,

Even when it was no longer a member of the OAU, Morocco never left Africa.

Morocco is an African nation and it always will be. And all of us, Moroccans, shall remain at the service of Africa. We shall be at the forefront of actions to preserve the dignity of African citizens and ensure respect for our Continent. These were the words of His Majesty King Hassan II, in his Message to the Twentieth OAU Summit on 12 November 1984, announcing Morocco's withdrawal.

Those words pronounced by His late Majesty proved prophetic, and the conclusion today is obvious: Morocco has kept its promise.

 

Three decades later, Africa has never been so much at the heart of Morocco’s foreign policy and its international action as it is today.

My country has forged a unique, authentic and tangible South-South cooperation model which has made it possible not only to consolidate cooperation in the traditional areas of training and technical assistance, but also to engage in new, strategic sectors such as food security and infrastructure development.

This process will not be ending any time soon. And - like it or not - it is irreversible.

The important involvement of Moroccan operators and their strong engagement in the areas of banking, insurance, air transport, telecommunications and housing are such that the Kingdom is now the number one investor in West Africa.

My country is already the second largest investor in the Continent, and our ambition is to be ranked first.

Moreover, Morocco holds membership in two of the eight Regional Economic Communities of the African Union, namely the Arab Maghreb Union (AMU) and the Community of Sahel-Saharan States (CEN-SAD).

It also has observer status in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and looks forward to a promising partnership with the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS). In 2009, Morocco launched the Ministerial Conference of African States Bordering the Atlantic.

Furthermore, the Kingdom's participation in all of Africa’s bi-regional and bi-continental partnerships is further evidence of my country’s readiness to defend the Continent’s interests at the international level and to leverage its exchange network to promote Africa’s relations with the rest of the world.

Finally, true to a longstanding tradition of solidarity and commitment to peace in the world, the Kingdom of Morocco, even after it left the OAU, has continued to launch initiatives to promote stability and security.

These include active involvement in peacekeeping operations in Côte d'Ivoire, in the Democratic Republic of Congo and in the Central African Republic, in mediation efforts in the MANO River region, and more recently in Libya, as well as in post-conflict reconstruction in Guinea, Sierra Leone, Mali and Guinea Bissau.

The commitments made by Morocco in this respect are far too many to list here. Please allow me to stop here out of propriety and modesty.

And yet, notwithstanding all of the above, some countries continue to claim that Morocco is not in a position to represent Africa, arguably because its population is not predominantly black. Does this mean Africa comes down to nothing more than a color? To continue insinuating this is tantamount to misreading our realities.

I know Africa and African cultures better than many others claim to do. Thanks to my numerous visits, I also know the facts on the ground and, choosing my words carefully, I have this to say: African reality is made up of considerable daily challenges and a lack of material resources; but Africa is also about dignity, success stories and civic engagement.

That is why all those who denigrate Morocco are, in fact, harming Africans themselves. The Kingdom’s popularity and its stature in Africa are well established and need no further proof.

I am not here to showcase Morocco's presence in Africa. Results speak for themselves and call for no further comment.

Nor am I here to give lessons. I respect Africans far too much to do that.

 

Mr. Chairman,

Distinguished Heads of State and Government,

When it withdrew from the OAU, Morocco never left Africa. In 1984, it simply left an institution in very special circumstances.

My country’s passionate relationship with the Continent explains why the recognition of a pseudo state was understandably too hard for the Moroccan people to accept.

Indeed, it is difficult to admit that the Kingdom - a nation steeped in history - could somehow be compared to an entity that meets none of the attributes of sovereignty and that is deprived of any representativeness or effectiveness.

For years I have dreamed of the opportunity to share my feelings about this wound with you. That opportunity has been provided today and I have no doubt in my mind that this lofty Assembly will listen carefully and serenely.

That immoral fait accompli, that coup against international legality, led the Kingdom of Morocco to seek to avoid the division of Africa, and the price Morocco had to pay was the painful decision to leave its institutional family.

The Moroccan people and the nation’s driving forces unanimously felt that the admission of a non-sovereign entity, by means of transgression and collusion, was something they simply could not accept.

History will remember this episode as an act of deceit and as a misuse of procedures to serve interests that are yet to be elucidated - an act similar to the abduction of a child, since the OAU was fairly unseasoned at the time.

How did we get there? I am sure everyone knows the answer, which is quite self-evident.

The time has come to reject manipulations and funding for separatist movements and to stop sustaining timeworn conflicts in Africa in order to concentrate on one course of action, that of promoting human and sustainable development, combating poverty and malnutrition, ensuring healthcare for our people, providing education for our children and raising the living standards for everyone.

This ethical requirement means we should reject and condemn the misjudgments of the past and whatever acts that go against the course of history.

 

Mr. Chairman,

Distinguished Heads of State and Government,

More than a decade after the birth of the African Union, the challenge still facing our Continent is that of achieving our family’s unity and cohesion.

To accomplish that objective, we must embark on the path of clear-mindedness and courage, the path our elders - the first pan-Africans - chose to take.

A continent long neglected, Africa can no longer be ignored. The era during which our Continent was treated as a mere object in international relations is over. Africa is progressing and is asserting itself in the international arena. Today, it is an active, respected partner in the debate on global governance.

For this reason, and with respect to the Sahara issue, institutional Africa can no longer bear the burden of a historical error and of a cumbersome legacy.

Surely the African Union is out of step with international law since this so-called state is not a member of the United Nations Organization, nor of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Arab League or any other sub-regional, regional or international institution.

In fact, I am more interested in our Continent’s stance. Will the AU remain out of step with its own Member States’ national stances, since at least 34 AU countries have never recognized or no longer recognize that entity?

Even among the group of 26 countries that chose the 'division camp’ in 1984, only a small minority of some ten countries remains.

This positive development is consistent with the trend observed worldwide. Since 2000, 36 countries have withdrawn their recognition of that phantom state.

The African Union is thus completely out of step with developments in the Sahara issue at the level of the United Nations Organization. A process is underway, under the auspices of the UN Security Council, to reach a final political solution to this regional dispute.

As it is, the AU is the only organization prejudging the outcome of that process. Through newfound neutrality, however, it could make a constructive contribution to the achievement of that solution.

 

Mr. Chairman,

Distinguished Heads of State and Government,

Our friends have long been asking us to return among them so that Morocco may take its natural place within its institutional family. That time has now come.

On reflection, it has become clear to us that when a body is sick, it is treated more effectively from the inside than from the outside.

The time for ideology is over. Our peoples need concrete, tangible action. One cannot change geography, nor can one escape the burden of history.

In view of the above, Morocco should not remain outside its African institutional family and should regain its natural, rightful place within the AU. From within, Morocco will contribute to making the AU a more robust organization - one that is both proud of its credibility and relieved of the trappings of an obsolete era.

By returning to the African family, Morocco aims to keep up its commitment to Africa and strengthen its involvement in all matters it feels strongly about.

Morocco pledges to make constructive contributions to the AU agenda and activities.

Morocco, which will host the COP22 Climate Conference next November, will defend the position of our Continent, which is greatly affected by climate change and sustainable development issues.

Cooperation, which is already intense with many countries at the bilateral level, will be further expanded and revitalized. Moroccan expertise and know-how can therefore be offered on an even broader scale and in a more streamlined framework.

This is particularly true regarding issues relating to security and the fight against terrorism. The Moroccan expertise, which is widely recognized at the international level and is sought by many countries - including European ones - would be leveraged to promote security and stability in all African countries, particularly those in West and Central Africa.

This well-thought-out decision to come back is endorsed by all of the nation’s forces.

Through this historic, responsible act, Morocco seeks to work within the AU to transcend divisions.

 

Mr. Chairman,

Distinguished Heads of State and Government,

Today, Morocco wishes resolutely and unequivocally to regain its place within its institutional family and to continue to live up to its responsibilities, with even more resolve and enthusiasm.

Morocco firmly believes in the wisdom of the AU and its ability to restore legality and correct mistakes along the way. As the French proverb says, the only proof of truth is obviousness.

Thank you.

Wassalamu alaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh.

Last modified : 17 July 2016

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  • Speeches and messages of HM The King
  • Royal activities
  • Princely activities

MOROCCO

  • The King
  • The Constitution
  • The Government
  • The Parliament

RSS

  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Social
  • Culture
  • Sport
  • Regional
  • General
  • World

 

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