Morocco

Mr. President of the General Assembly, Mr. Secretary-General of the United Nations, Your Majesties, Highnesses, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

1. Allow me first to congratulate His Excellency Mr. Philémon Yang on his election as President of the seventy-ninth session of the General Assembly of the United Nations, wishing him every success during his term. I would also like to thank his predecessor, His Excellency Mr. Dennis Francis, for the efforts he exerted to ensure the success of the previous session.

2. I take this opportunity to affirm the Kingdom of Morocco's full support for the endeavors of His Excellency Mr. António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, to enable our Organization to rise to global challenges, particularly his ambitious initiative regarding the convening of the Summit of the Future.

Mr. President,

3. Barely a year passes between our gatherings before we find ourselves facing rapid and complex developments in the international context in which we converse and interact: rapid transformations in view of the tremendous leap achieved at the level of communication tools and information technology and artificial intelligence, and intertwined changes resulting from the evolving needs of our societies and the challenges facing our nations.

4. The sense of collective security that accompanied the establishment of the United Nations has receded, giving way to entrenched uncertainty in all fields related to human activity. We now face the challenge of redefining governance models, our production and consumption patterns, and even the structures of our societies.

5. This is what His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist him, affirmed in his message to the participants in the Annual Meetings of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund, held in Marrakech, and I quote: "At a time when our planet is facing climate fluctuations that have imposed a new reality, confirmed day after day by the data, the world remains mired in problems that we, until recently, believed had largely found their way to resolution, thanks to the multilateral rules and institutions established in the aftermath of the Second World War" (end of quote).

6. Here we are entitled to ask: Has multilateral action reached its limits? Has the time come to acknowledge its failure and thus think of other alternatives for global governance? Are we compelled to choose between multilateralism of action and the plurality of higher ideals?

Mr. President,

7. The Kingdom of Morocco has founded the doctrine of its multilateral diplomacy, based on the lofty directives of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist him, on established principles centered on ambition and clarity, with a working method based on innovation and realism in vision and steps, in order to make cooperation with historical partners keep pace with evolving needs, and to build appropriate frameworks with new partners based on the principle of genuine solidarity and the sharing of experience and benefits, guided by an essential requirement, namely rising to the challenges of security, development, and stability.

8. The choice of multilateral action for the Kingdom of Morocco is not, and will never be, an expression of an idealism whose time has passed, nor a short-term political opportunism, for this action remains, despite all its failures and shortcomings, the only path to addressing our collective challenges and confronting the great dangers looming over us.

9. However, it is no longer possible merely to reflect on the failures of multilateral action or on declarations of intent to reform it; rather, it has become imperative for us to work to give new momentum to this reform by mobilizing all energies, especially youth and women. How can we move forward regarding our future, on the eve of the convening of the Summit of the Future at the beginning of this week, without involving these groups in shaping the forms and content of future multilateral action?

10. With the same conviction, we consider that multilateral action is a tool and a lever in the hands of developing countries to defend their interests, highlight their national priorities, and benefit from opportunities for cooperation and the sharing of experiences and expertise.

Mr. President,

11. Climate change stands at the forefront of the major challenges facing our planet. In this regard, looking at reality is sufficient to draw the conclusion that African countries are the most affected by the repercussions of climate change, even though their contribution to it is among the lowest in the world. Furthermore, they allocate a substantial share of their resources to servicing the debts owed by them.

12. Therefore, it is necessary to adjust borrowing frameworks and rules to take into account the constraints faced by African countries in adapting to the effects of climate change. The Kingdom of Morocco calls for the establishment of innovative financial mechanisms capable of enhancing the positive impact of climate funds, while ensuring the ability to manage indebtedness.

13. It is also necessary to accelerate the reform of the international financial architecture in order to meet the needs of developing countries, by facilitating access to fair loans, thereby ensuring investment in their development.

14. We also call for more appropriate representation of African countries on the boards of the World Bank and other multilateral banks, in order to enhance the democratic character of the performance of their boards, as well as to adopt a fruitful approach in dealing with debt crises that severely and negatively affect the economies of African countries.

15. The Kingdom of Morocco, which chairs the Group of Middle-Income Countries for two consecutive years in New York, continues its call for multilateral action capable of preserving the development momentum that these countries have managed to achieve.

Mr. President,

16. Guided by the visionary insight of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist him, the Kingdom of Morocco continues to call for a realistic, solidarity-based, and pragmatic multilateralism serving the interests of the African continent, reinforced by effective mechanisms for decision-making.

17. This is the approach that the Kingdom of Morocco follows and that the Government is working to implement in various fields, such as confronting climate change, migration, and combating terrorism.

18. In addition to implementing major social projects to achieve social justice, through the project of generalizing social protection. Thanks to this structuring project, for which a budget of more than 47 billion dirhams has been allocated, by the year 2025, millions of people will benefit from direct social assistance.

Mr. President,

19. In affirmation of Morocco's Atlantic orientation, and proceeding from the firm belief that the Atlantic Sahel could become a space for human connectivity and economic integration, and a hub for continental and international influence, His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist him, called for strengthening the bonds of integration and cooperation among African states bordering the Atlantic Ocean within the framework of the process linking the Atlantic African States.

20. This is the Royal Initiative for South-South cooperation, based on the principles of joint action and solidarity, aimed at making the African Atlantic space a region of peace, stability, and development.

21. His Majesty the King, may God assist him, also launched an ambitious initiative aimed at enhancing the access of Sahel countries to the Atlantic Ocean, proceeding from His Majesty's conviction that this region has the full right to participate in the global economy. This pioneering Royal initiative seeks to be a pillar of prosperity, peace, and stability for this part of the African continent.

22. This same spirit of solidarity is behind the project to establish the Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline, which is considered a project for regional integration and shared economic revival, aimed at strengthening development dynamics on the Atlantic coast, with the participation of 13 African countries.

23. Our continent can rely on the wisdom of its leaders and the creativity of its people, but it aspires to solidarity that enables the international community to reflect and cooperate in confronting its challenges.

Mr. President,

24. The Kingdom of Morocco remains committed to the peaceful settlement of disputes, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations. Accordingly, Morocco remains steadfast in reaching a final political solution to the regional dispute over the Moroccan Sahara, based exclusively on the Autonomy Initiative, and within the framework of the territorial unity and national sovereignty of the Kingdom, which will open new horizons for development opportunities in the region.

25. The steady and growing support of numerous states for Morocco's sovereignty over its Sahara and for the Moroccan Autonomy Initiative constitutes a clear message to the other parties and to the United Nations that the time has come to move toward a political solution on this basis, through a series of roundtables, in a sustainable manner, and in accordance with the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council.

26. In this context, Morocco supports the efforts of the Secretary-General of the United Nations and his Personal Envoy to relaunch the political roundtable process, with the participation of the four parties, in order to reach a political, realistic, practical, and lasting solution based on the spirit of compromise, and in accordance with Security Council resolution 2929.

27. Here, it is necessary to recall the constants of Morocco's position, as reaffirmed by His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist him, to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, namely:

• No political process outside the framework of the roundtables as defined by the United Nations, with the full participation of Algeria;
• No solution outside the framework of the Moroccan Autonomy Initiative;
• No serious political process without a return to the ceasefire by the armed militias, as called for by members of the Security Council.

28. In parallel, the lived reality of the Moroccan Sahara reflects a developmental dynamic at one of the highest rates witnessed by the Kingdom of Morocco, thanks to projects implemented within the framework of the new development model for the southern provinces. The population of the region participates fully, through their democratically elected representatives in the regional councils of the region, in all stages of the implementation of this ambitious political framework. The active participation of this population in the political, economic, and social life of the Kingdom stems from their firm attachment to Morocco's territorial unity and the Moroccan character of the Sahara.

Mr. President,

29. His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist him, affirmed in his speech on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of his accession to the throne of his glorious ancestors: "Concern with the internal affairs of countries does not make us forget the tragedy experienced by the brotherly Palestinian people."

30. My country joins its voice with that of other Islamic and Arab states to express its utmost concern over the grave and unprecedented conditions in the occupied Palestinian territories since October 2023, which have claimed the lives of thousands of dead and wounded among civilians, mostly children and women, in addition to the massive destruction and the comprehensive siege of Gaza, in flagrant violation of international law and humanitarian values.

31. His Majesty highlighted his vision for emerging from this crisis according to the following perspective:

• "First: while achieving a ceasefire in Gaza is an urgent priority, it must be accompanied by the opening of a political horizon capable of establishing a just and lasting peace in the region.
• Second: adopting negotiations to revive the peace process between the Palestinian and Israeli sides requires cutting off the path to extremists, from whichever side they come.
• Third: establishing security and stability in the region will not be complete except within the framework of a two-state solution, in which Gaza is an integral part of the territory of an independent Palestinian state, with East Jerusalem as its capital."

32. On the humanitarian level, His Majesty the King, may God assist him, in his capacity as Chairman of the Al-Quds Committee emanating from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, has worked to open an unprecedented land and air route to deliver urgent food and medical aid to the suffering people of Gaza.

33. The Kingdom of Morocco expresses its deepest concern over recent developments in the Middle East region. All indications point to the fact that we are facing an unprecedented situation, which could expand the scope of the conflict, and which may plunge the entire region into a phase whose impact and repercussions cannot be predicted.

34. His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist him, has previously affirmed that the closure of the political horizon for a solution to the Palestinian question is one of the most important reasons fueling the conflict in the Middle East region.

35. His Majesty has repeatedly warned that continuing to manage the Israeli-Palestinian conflict without a realistic and sustainable solution has bred frustration, extinguished hope, and led to a succession of devastating catastrophes, with tragic humanitarian consequences, and to the escalation of its dangerous repercussions on peace and stability in the Middle East, as well as on international peace and security.

36. I cannot fail here to express the Kingdom of Morocco's full solidarity with the brotherly government and people of Lebanon in the face of the aggression to which they are being subjected, and we call for the necessity of respecting Lebanon's territorial unity and national sovereignty.

Mr. President,

37. The enormous scale of the global challenges we face requires the reawakening of our collective conscience, the refinement of our working methods, and the strengthening of the foundation of our values.

38. The United Nations today stands before the burden of restoring the spirit of active solidarity, collective responsibility, and the sincere humanitarian spirit that accompanied its establishment, along with the necessity of putting an end to the endless rehashing of the reform issue, as we stand on the threshold of celebrating the eightieth anniversary of the Organization's founding.

39. The Summit of the Future, held at the beginning of this session, the Social Summit of 2025, and the Sustainable Development Goals for 2030 are all visions for a shared future, and roadmaps that must be implemented so that we may be able to work together to make up for the great accumulated delay.

Wassalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah.