NEW YORK CITY: Moroccan Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch asserted the need for multilateralism in today’s evolving landscape at the 79th UN General Assembly on Tuesday.
The “diplomatic doctrine of the Kingdom of Morocco is multilateral at its core,” but “we can’t content ourselves with merely declaring good intentions,” he said.
“We need new momentum. We need new reform to which all segments, all strata of society, including women and young people, can contribute.”
Akhannouch stressed the effects of climate challenge, particularly on African countries, which are “very minor contributors to pollution which causes climate change” and yet are “most affected by the results and the consequences of climate change.”
As a solution to this problem, which is exacerbated by debt crises, he called for the creation of innovative financing mechanisms and reform of the international financial system that would help developing countries achieve financing to aid economic recovery.
This is why, he said, “Morocco calls for pragmatic, realistic multilateralism to serve the needs of the African continent.”
The country is applying this approach to various areas such as climate change, terrorism and social justice, Akhannouch added.
He highlighted Morocco’s efforts in the region, such as the initiative launched last year to enable countries in the Sahel region to have access to the Atlantic Ocean, and its autonomy plan for Western Sahara.
Akhannouch expressed Morocco’s “extreme concern” at the Israel-Palestinian conflict, calling the aggression against Palestinians a “blatant violation of international law and of all human values. The stability of the region is linked with the two-state solution.”
He stated Morocco’s solidarity with Lebanon and said it respects the country’s “sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
Amid the many global challenges facing the world, Akhannouch urged the UNGA to rethink the way it works and appeal to “our collective conscience,” adding: “We need to rethink our fundamental values, but we need to return to our fundamental values.”
He said the UN has a “collective responsibility,” which should encourage its members to “return to our values of humanity — the humanity that underpinned the very inception of this organization. Thus, reform is needed as we approach the 80th anniversary of the creation of our organization.”
