Day: March 2, 2022

Held on behalf of the Council of Arab Ambassadors, the meetings focused on preserving the safety of Arab citizens and guaranteeing their basic food needs, especially due to the difficult conditions they are going through in the context of the Ukrainian crisis, according to the Moroccan Embassy in Kyiv.

The Arab diplomats called for the acceleration of procedures related to the transit of citizens through the available access points, given the high pressure on these accesses with the massive influx of people from the capital Kyiv, the same source added.

They also referred to the situation of students and Arab communities residing in the cities of Kharkiv and Kherson, especially Sumy, calling for the establishment of safe corridors for their rapid evacuation.

For their part, Ukrainian officials promised to react quickly to the requests of the Arab ambassadors by involving all relevant departments, especially the security services, and to provide them with all the means to ensure the rapid evacuation of students safely, in these complex and exceptional conditions.

Source: Agency Morocaine De Presse

This meeting provided an opportunity for both parties to reiterate their pride in the level of distinguished relations between Morocco and Egypt, based on mutual esteem and respect, and which draw their strength from the deep historical ties uniting the Moroccan and Egyptian peoples, under the wise leadership of HM King Mohammed VI and President Abdel Fattah Al-Sissi, said a statement by the House of Advisors.

In this regard, Mayara highlighted the willingness of Morocco to develop relations between the two countries and deepen the process of coordination and consultation on all bilateral, regional and international issues.

He also stressed the need to work to raise these relations to the level of strategic partnership to which both countries aspire, especially in the economic and commercial fields.

Mayara also expressed the willingness of the upper house to make an effective contribution, by its constitutional place, to consolidate these relations and give the parliamentary dimension the place it deserves, through the strengthening of joint parliamentary action, consolidating the role of cooperation and friendship groups by establishing them as an effective and sustainable link between the legislative institutions of the two countries, while intensifying coordination and consultation at various international forums to serve common interests.

In this regard, Mayara welcomed the signing of the protocol of cooperation, concluded on this occasion by the two institutions in order to further boost relations of cooperation and partnership between them.

The speaker of the Egyptian Senate, currently on a working visit to Morocco, welcomed the strength of relations between the two countries, calling for the exchange of experiences on various issues of common interest, such as the environment, women and human rights.

Abdel-Razek also praised the parliamentary relations between the legislative institutions of the two countries, inviting Mayara to make a working visit to Egypt as soon as possible, in order to continue the parliamentary dialogue within the framework of the growing dynamism in relations between the two brotherly countries.

Source: Agency Morocaine De Presse

In an editorial entitled ”Racists, the War in Ukraine and the Ideal Migrant”, published Wednesday, he notes that ”comments on the war between Kyiv and Moscow are discriminatory in their biased approach which differentiates Ukrainian immigrants from those of other countries, diregarding the fact that they are also fleeing the war zone”.

In this vein, the writer decries this “approach based on dress code, the geographical belonging to Europe and race. An approach made as normally as possible into a rule”.

”Because they (Ukrainians) look like Westerners and we don’t, being foreigners linguistically and also in laughter, hunger pangs and facial features! Their families are identical to Europeans and we are not. They come in cars and buses like those of the Europeans, whereas we hail like a rain that suddenly falls, a torrent or even a storm with waves and boats that do not look like those that sail through the rivers of Vienna or Venice,” he writes.

Faced with this, and with this devastating war in Ukraine, the columnist says that all he feels is anger tinged with derision, adding that every time a shell falls in Kiev, the Europeans are unleashed against the other peoples, mainly the Arabs, the Amazighs, the Africans, the Asians, the Kurds and the Yazidis.

As proof, he notes that ”Iskander’s missiles not only blow up destructible buildings but also exacerbate destructive behaviors which are potentially in favor today of political construction in the West”.

He points out that Western journalists “are striving in an unprecedented approach to dissociate Ukrainian migrants from other nationalities, which reveals an untold denigration and an immoral categorization based on gender, race and religion”, believing that ”this war has given the Western media the opportunity to make a demarcation between intramural European immigration and extra-European immigration, with no regard for the Syrians, Iraqis and Yemenis who fled the war just like Ukrainians today.

”Because, each war has its conveniences, as is the case for racists for whom Ukrainians are civilized, educated migrants and are part of Europe and when they move to France or the Netherlands, they only temporarily leave the same civilizational space since they are perpetually present in the immeasurable western civilizational time. While African migrants are vilified, unable to assert themselves as victims of coups, of shameless exploitation of their resources by Western civilization and greediness that has darkened their future after burying the past of their parents,” he continues.

During this time, he adds, ”We, Africans, Iraqis, Syrians, Algerians and Tunisians, lay foot on their turf, naked and seen as primitives, and die in the oceans of Western countries which do not display the slightest feeling of shame and remorse for the abuses they perpetrated in the countries of these migrants”.

”It is in this case a gangrenous elite which seeks to find a way out of a serious error which is war and an unbearable fatality which is immigration by committing an even more unforgivable error which is racism”, he argues, adding that ”Europe, through its tendentious media, has only one desire: welcoming migrants of European origin on its soil and not accepting that strangers die on its territory for that the funeral takes place in a civilized setting of its own while the others, the foreigners, will only have the right to a funeral in the depths of the Mediterranean and the Red Sea”.

Jamhri believes that we are witnessing an appalling prolonged war, stoked by racists for whom it is not only a matter of an all-out economic and financial war against Russia but above all an opportunity to wage a war on the unwanted foreign migrant who has missed the opportunity, while being shot and starving, to assert that he deserves to live in Europe with all that this entails in terms of ‘elegance, physiognomy, language and proximity”.

And despite everything, he quips, “their complex in their subconscious lies in the fact that while opening their arms to welcome those who look like them, they do not have the guts to sacrifice their lives to defend them”, adding that ”this is the complex of the cowardly racist who can only assert himself under the cover of democracy in the fields of the media, politics and in the public space”.

He estimates that ”European humanity, which cares about the fate of the earth and the peoples who live there, should not ignore that this quest for the ideal migrant is a regression to the time of eugenics which singled out individuals according to their genetic heritage and eliminated those who did not fit into a predefined selection framework according to civilizational and ethnic norms. A boon for the racists who plunges us back into Nazism”.

That being said, Abelhamid Jmahri thinks that ”this European elite surrendered easily to the siren calls of State racism”.

Source: Agency Morocaine De Presse

During a meeting with speaker of the Equatorial Guinean Senate, Teresa Efua Asangono, at the headquarters of the House of Advisors, Mayara hailed the relations of mutual respect and good cooperation linking the two countries, said a statement by the upper house.

He also highlighted the importance of parliamentary diplomacy in consolidating bilateral ties and deepening the agreement and dialogue between the representatives of the two friendly peoples, to bring together and unify the visions and views on several bilateral and multilateral issues, according to the same source.

In this regard, Mayara called to explore ways to take advantage of the unique and diverse composition of the upper house to establish a parliamentary, political and economic dialogue between the two legislative institutions of the two friendly countries, through proposing the signing of a memorandum of understanding.

He praised the support and the constant position of Equatorial Guinea in favor of the issue of the territorial integrity of the Kingdom.

Efua Asangono noted that relations between her country and Morocco are “historical, spanning more than 40 years and are characterized by their strength,” noting that the Moroccan and Equatorial Guinean peoples are also united by ties of brotherhood.

The participation of Equatorial Guinea in the 10th conference of the Association of Senates, Shoora and Equivalent Councils of Africa and the Arab World (ASSECAA) as well as in the forum of parliamentary dialogue of ASSECAA, Latin America and the Caribbean, which will be organized by the House of Advisors from 03 to 05 March, is an important event because it is the first Equatoguinean participation in this parliamentary gathering, she said.

Efua Asangono also noted that her visit to Morocco at the invitation of Mayara, is particularly positive, noting that participation in the Forum will allow to acquire more experience in connection with the partnership between African, Arab and Latin American parliaments.

On the occasion of their meeting, the two parties reaffirmed their willingness to continue strengthening and consolidating parliamentary cooperation relations between the House of Advisors and the Senate of Equatorial Guinea, as well as intensifying coordination and consultation between the parliaments of both countries in various regional and international parliamentary forums on issues of common interest.

Source: Agency Morocaine De Presse

The delegation of the House of Representatives was formed by the two members of the national parliamentary section to this regional institution, namely the deputies Fatine El Ghali of the group of the National Rally of Independents (RNI) and Mohamed Touimi Benjelloun of the group of the Party Authenticity and Modernity (PAM).

According to a statement by the House, this participation is part of the support of the work of the Andean Parliament, to strengthen the bonds of friendship with representatives of the peoples of Andean countries and deepen parliamentary communication with this region of the world.

The Moroccan delegation participated in the work of the plenary session and meetings of standing committees, primarily the Committee on Foreign Policy and Parliamentary Relations, the statement said.

On the sidelines of this participation, the members of the parliamentary delegation held a meeting with the president of the Andean Parliament, Juan Pablo Letelier Morel, during which they reviewed the progress made by the Kingdom of Morocco in various areas thanks to the vision of HM King Mohammed VI, including in relation to the aspects of the New Development Model, such as the generalization of health coverage, strengthening the social state and respect for human rights and women’s rights.

Emphasis was also placed on the progress being made in the southern provinces of the Kingdom, through commercial and economic investment and strengthening infrastructure, said the same source, adding that the meeting was an opportunity to denounce all inhumane practices and serious violations perpetrated by the “polisario”.

For his part, Letelier Morel welcomed the progress made by the Kingdom of Morocco in all areas, as well as the strength of historical ties between the countries of the Andean Community and Morocco, affirming the willingness of the Andean Parliament to develop mutual relations.

He also reiterated his unconditional support for the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Morocco.

Source: Agency Morocaine De Presse

The Minister of the Interior, Abdelouafi Laftit leads the Moroccan delegation to the work of this session, which includes Idriss Jouhari, wali director general of Internal Affairs and Mohamed Moufakir, wali director of international cooperation at the Ministry of Interior, as well as Mohamed Dkhissi, prefect, central director of the judicial police at the Directorate General of National Security (DGSN), director of Interpol-Morocco and director of the liaison office at the general secretariat of the Council of Arab Interior Ministers.

This meeting, held in the presence of delegations representing the Arab League, Interpol, the Arab Maghreb Union and the European Union, as well as the Naif Arab University for Security Sciences, discussed several issues related to inter-Arab security cooperation in the face of security challenges.

Source: Agency Morocaine De Presse

Interior Minister Abdelouafi Laftit leads the Kingdom’s delegation to this session, which will be marked by the presentation of reports on the activities of the General Secretariat of the Council of Arab Ministers of the Interior and the actions of the General Secretariat and the Naif Arab University for Security Sciences.

This meeting, which is held in the presence of delegations representing the Arab League, Interpol, the Arab Maghreb Union and the European Union, will discuss several issues related to inter-Arab security cooperation in the face of security challenges.

During this session, which will also be attended by representatives of the UN office of counter-terrorism and the Arab Police Sports Federation, the Arab ministers will have to consider the draft tenth step plan of the Arab strategy to fight the illicit use of narcotics and psychotropic substances.

Source: Agency Morocaine De Presse

The announcement was made during a telephone conversation between Minister of Foreign Affairs of Romania, Bogdan Aurescu, and Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans Abroad, Nasser Bourita, said in a statement, the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

On this occasion, Aurescu presented the assessment of the Romanian side of the worrying security developments in the region, assuring that his country will continue to show solidarity with all its partners, including offering protection and consular assistance to foreign citizens.

He also presented the measures taken by his country for the proper management of the influx of people from the borders, as well as the dynamics recorded in recent days.

For his part, Bourita expressed his particular appreciation for the operational and efficient way in which the Romanian authorities have managed and manage all the problems generated by the flow of people from the Romanian border, in the context of the crisis in Ukraine.

He also praised the support provided by Romania to facilitate the safe evacuation of Moroccan citizens from Ukraine, who particularly appreciated the way they were treated and assisted by the Romanian authorities.

“Since the beginning of the crisis and until now, more than 1,700 Moroccan citizens have benefited from the support of the Romanian authorities, at the Romanian-Ukrainian border,” the statement said.

Referring to the excellent traditional relations between the two countries, in the context of the anniversary in 2022 of 60 years of diplomatic relations, the two ministers reiterated their willingness to deepen the political dialogue at all levels and develop cooperation on all levels.

They also agreed to make a bilateral visit to Bucharest or Rabat as soon as the international context allows, the statement concluded.

Source: Agency Morocaine De Presse

Speaking in video conference at the High-Level Segment of the Conference on Disarmament, Bourita also reaffirmed the support of the Kingdom to multilateral initiatives, within the framework of the United Nations, to curb the arms race, strengthen the effectiveness of arms control and disarmament agreements, revive the multilateral disarmament mechanisms, and back the action of the international community to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons and eliminate weapons of mass destruction.

He also recalled the Kingdom’s commitment to the principle of non-use of force for the settlement of disputes between States, noting that the Kingdom encourages all initiatives and actions promoting a peaceful settlement of conflicts.

The Minister also pointed out that “the Conference on Disarmament is not just about reaffirming commitments. It serves to advance them, continuously, being the only UN body empowered to negotiate legal instruments on disarmament”.

However, it must be noted, he added, that the last significant contribution of the Conference on Disarmament to the consolidation of the international legal framework on disarmament was in 1996. Since then, the Conference on Disarmament has not managed to regain the role and place it should have.

Yet, the Minister stressed, the Conference was designed to be the sole negotiating body of the United Nations in the field of disarmament. “Its legitimacy, expertise and mandate are inescapable. No one can deny it: the Conference on Disarmament is a valuable achievement for the international community,” he said.

In order to move forward, Bourita said, it is necessary to stop looking back nostalgically at the history and the golden age of this Conference, in order to consider the present and the future of this body with pragmatism, but also with ambition.

“The fault lines that prevent, within this Conference, the emergence of a consensual political will to move forward, should not discourage us,” said the Minister, noting that “we must learn from the past and not wait for major disasters or historical conflagrations to take up the role that should be ours”. He underlined: “The current context reminds us with force”.

The Minister noted, in this regard, that to date, the multilateral disarmament system unfortunately remains much more reactive than proactive, adding that “we react collectively, too often and – as history shows – only when major events have already occurred”.

For the Minister, “we must first of all reiterate our sincere and deep faith in the virtues of negotiation and multilateralism”. “Multilateralism is the other name for peace. Negotiation is the only tool that allows the resolution of all disputes, in a peaceful manner,” he pleaded.

Bourita noted, in this sense, that Morocco believes deeply in the virtues of negotiation and the multilateral system, adding that the history of Morocco, its geography, the decisive choices made by HM King Mohammed VI, especially in foreign policy, illustrate the vocation of the Kingdom of Morocco and its relationship to its regional and international environment.

Morocco is a force for peace, as shown by the action it has taken in various conflicts in the world, near and far, as well as the wise and constructive role it is playing today in the resolution of the crisis in Libya, he continued. Morocco’s vocation, he said, is to bring together, unite and federate, noting that this vocation, which is also a voluntary ambition, Morocco has always put it at the disposal of this Conference and will continue to do so.

Secondly, the impression that the issues of disarmament and non-proliferation no longer have the same priority in the United Nations agenda is false, he added, stating that, “certainly, in recent years, our collective efforts have been more mobilized by climate change, migration, health and food security. But these concerns do not negate the primary objective of international peace and security”.

On the contrary, all these issues, fundamental and essential, participate in a direct or indirect way to international peace and security, said the Minister.

“However, it is now up to us to put the issues of disarmament and non-proliferation at the top of our priorities,” he said.

Bourita said that Morocco is determined to make its contribution to the collective efforts of the international community, as illustrated by its Presidency in New York of the 1st Committee of the General Assembly during its 76th Session, the OPCW in The Hague, but also in Vienna, during the Presidency of the IAEA General Assembly and still currently the Group of 77.

“Our involvement in various fora in The Hague, New York, Geneva and Vienna, as well as regionally and bilaterally with some partners, shows our determination to contribute tirelessly to building a safer and more stable world,” he said.

Thirdly, the Minister explained, “there is no doubt that the 1979 Decalogue is the founding text of the Committee on Disarmament – which became the Conference on Disarmament in 1984. However, like any document, the Decalogue is not set in stone”. He indicated that its strength lies in its consensual and referential dimension, and its relevance in its potential at an international juncture more charged than ever with global challenges”. Hence the need, insisted Bourita, to depart from the dogmatic approach that has prevailed in recent years to the perception of the problem of the modus operandi of the achievement of its objectives and its action plan.

History, he said, “will remember not so much the lyricism of our commitments to disarmament as our inability to overcome our differences, to understand the current threats, to be realistic and lucid. Our successive failures to adopt our programme of work contain the seeds of the weakening of our Conference”.

He added: “Our Conference is not just a laboratory of ideas. It is a body for action and negotiation. We are ready to continue to work with all members to ensure that the Conference on Disarmament recovers its original vocation and fully regains its rightful place in the United Nations system, i.e., a pillar without which the system risks being erased”.

Source: Agency Morocaine De Presse