YouSaid · the spoken record

Saad-Eddine El Othmani

lines on the record: 39
first: 2013-09-24
most recent: 2020-09-24
sittings or episodes: 2
sources: un-general-debate

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“Morocco, in its firm adherence to the multilateral framework, remains committed to working with likeminded States to create a more just, united and transparent global system. That was the commitment made by His Majesty King Mohammed VI at the Millennium Summit, where he reaffirmed that, as we embarked upon a new millennium, it was our solemn duty to set new goals for humankind, while acting with justice and solidarity. May the peace, mercy and blessings of God be upon you.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“At the request of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, the Kingdom provided medical and humanitarian assistance to the Lebanese people in the hope of alleviating the suffering of those affected by that tragic incident. We must turn the COVID-19 pandemic into an opportunity to rebuild a more effective and efficient multilateral system. To do so, we must conduct a comprehensive assessment of the failures of the multilateral system and its institutions in facing the crisis, as well as its achievements towards building a sound basis for good practices in the future. We must also refocus multilateral action on the principles of solidarity, cooperation and responsibility, while taking the appropriate measures to put an end to all conflicts through concrete and practical multilateral initiatives.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“His Majesty King Mohammed VI, in his capacity as Chair of the Al-Quds Committee of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, stresses the importance of preserving the Holy City of Jerusalem, as it is a common heritage of humankind and a symbol of peaceful coexistence among the followers of the three monotheistic religions. It is also a centre for mutual respect and dialogue. This was reaffirmed in the Jerusalem appeal that His Majesty signed with His Holiness Pope Francis in Rabat on 30 March 2019. I must express the Kingdom’s heartfelt condolences and solidarity with brotherly Lebanon in the aftermath of the explosion at the port in Beirut, with its painful material and human losses.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“The failure to settle the Palestinian question and resume the Middle East peace process is a source of grave concern for the Kingdom of Morocco. There cannot be a just or lasting peace for the Palestinian people unless they are able to exercise their legitimate right to establish an independent and viable Palestinian State, with East Jerusalem as its capital. Morocco therefore categorically rejects all unilateral measures taken by the Israeli authorities in the occupied Palestinian territories, whether in the West Bank or in Al-Quds Al-Sharif. Such measures will only fuel tension and instability in the region.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“Nine years after the outbreak of the crisis in Libya, its security and humanitarian situation continue to deteriorate due to foreign interference, including military intervention. The only solution to that crisis is a political one decided upon by the Libyans themselves, with the support of the international community but free from foreign interference and agendas, as affirmed by the meeting in Skhirat. Morocco remains committed to providing a neutral forum for dialogue between the Libyan parties. In the second week of September, we hosted meetings in Bouznika between the High Council of State and the Tobruk Parliament, which culminated in a comprehensive agreement on transparent and objective criteria and mechanisms in order to fill key leadership positions with the aim of unifying them.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“It is time for the international community to take decisive action to compel the host country to allow the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to conduct a census and registration of the population in those camps, in accordance with international humanitarian law for refugees and the urgent calls made by the Security Council in all of its related resolutions since 2011. This is essential in order to put an end to the 40-year-long diversion of humanitarian assistance intended for those stranded inside the Tindouf camps. The security of the Kingdom of Morocco is intrinsically linked to the security of Libya, the sister State with which we share a common history and destiny.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“The host country has authorized an armed separatist group to take charge of the camps, in flagrant violation of its international obligations under the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and other international conventions relating to human rights and international humanitarian law. In the context of COVID-19, concerns are mounting over the fate of those populations stranded in camps run by an armed group with no legal status under international law.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“The political process, under the sole sponsorship of the United Nations, has seen new momentum. Two round table meetings were held in Geneva, in December 2018 and March 2019 respectively, where all of the parties concerned convened for the first time. It is particularly encouraging to note that the Security Council considers this process to be the only path towards a realistic, practical, enduring and consensus-based political solution to this regional dispute. The Kingdom of Morocco once again expresses its deep concern about the dire humanitarian situation faced by the inhabitants of the Tindouf camps.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“The search for a definitive political solution can succeed only if it meets four basic criteria: first, the full sovereignty of Morocco over its desert and the self-autonomy initiative as the only solution to this contrived dispute; secondly, the full participation of all parties in the search for a definitive solution to this contrived dispute; thirdly, full respect for the principles and criteria set forth by the Security Council in all its resolutions since 2007, namely, that a solution must be political, realistic, practical, sustainable and consensus-based; and fourthly, the rejection of any other proposal aimed at steering the political process away from the terms of reference determined by the Security Council. Both the Secretary-General and the Council rejected such a proposal more than 20 years ago.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“The Kingdom of Morocco remains committed to the principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, namely, the principle of the peaceful settlement of disputes and respect for the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of States. In that connection, Morocco remains committed to finding a definitive solution to the regional dispute over the Moroccan Sahara, in line with its territorial integrity and national sovereignty. Morocco’s position is unambiguous.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“In that regard, we must express our appreciation for the efforts of the United Nations and countries contributing to peacekeeping operations to adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic and to enable the 100,000 peacekeepers currently deployed in 13 peacekeeping operations to continue their missions in various conflict areas. Morocco believes in the importance of peacekeeping reform in light of the complexities of contemporary conflicts and remains committed to achieving the goals of the Action for Peacekeeping initiative. In that context, Morocco and France, in cooperation with the United Nations, will organize the second Francophone ministerial conference on peacekeeping.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“Morocco calls on international financial institutions and partners to adopt and implement concrete guidelines to reduce the debt of the countries concerned in order to curb the effects of the pandemic on their development. Global economic recovery must be a top priority for the international community. The repercussions of the pandemic also require innovative solutions for the financing of development. While the pandemic has cast its shadow over vital issues on the Organization’s agenda, this should not be a reason to overlook the other challenges we face, notably climate change, counter-terrorism, migration and peacekeeping.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“In the spirit of solidarity that characterizes South-South cooperation vis-a-vis the African countries, His Majesty King Mohammed VI has launched a practical initiative to lay the foundations for a realistic framework to assist African countries throughout the stages of pandemic response. As part of that initiative, Morocco has established air bridges with approximately 20 African countries to transport Moroccan medical aid and pharmaceuticals. However, in the urgency imposed by the pandemic and its socioeconomic implications, we must not forget the multidimensional and complex challenges that Africa continues to face. One such challenge is the debt crisis.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“The pandemic has revealed various vulnerabilities and inequalities within and between societies, countries and continents. It has also proven many of our preconceptions to be incorrect, including the presumed link between underdevelopment and inevitable weakness in certain regions. Many of the dire expectations and pessimistic outlooks that some attached to Africa at the beginning of the pandemic did not materialize. Africa has faced the challenge alone, relying on the resilience of its people, the creativity of its youth and the able leadership of its Governments.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“In our view, there is an urgent need to provide vaccines and treatments against COVID-19 in a fair and equitable manner. This would be the most realistic example of a unified global health system and a true test of international cooperation. We must also lay new and flexible foundations for resilience, reform international health regulations and adopt sustainable financing mechanisms. In that connection, together with Rwanda, the World Health Organization and the World Bank, Morocco will organize the first high-level meeting on diplomacy for health security and emergency preparedness in Marrakesh next year. Morocco has also joined the initiative led by Chile to adopt a new, flexible legal instrument that would enable effective preparedness for global health emergencies.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“Morocco’s support for the Secretary-General’s initiatives to confront COVID-19, as well as the relevant Security Council and General Assembly resolutions, reflects our belief in the ability of the United Nations to coordinate and promote all forms of international cooperation to respond to this all-encompassing crisis. That is why the Kingdom of Morocco, in its capacity as the Chair of the Economic and Social Council humanitarian affairs segment, launched a call for action in support of the humanitarian response to combat COVID-19, which enjoyed the support of 171 countries from all regional groups, as well as the African Union and the European Union. The call was inspired by Moroccan diplomatic and humanitarian principles and the noble vision of His Majesty King Mohammed VI.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“The pandemic has revealed the extent of the damage that new diseases can inflict on national health systems and has demonstrated the importance of adequate emergency preparedness based on a comprehensive approach that unites all stakeholders and communities. Morocco’s response to the pandemic has been guided by the strong vision of His Majesty King Mohammed VI. Our proactive and preventive measures have prioritized the health of our citizens and mobilized all institutions and strata of society to address the health emergency.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“Nevertheless, the flame of multilateralism continues to burn, as evidenced by the concrete initiatives taken to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Building a multilateral system is not a luxury, but a necessity in order to ensure continued international cooperation, which must provide the framework for confronting the multiple threats, current and future, in a post-COVID-19 world. In that context, establishing a global health security system has become imperative, as expressed by the Secretary-General, who emphasized that the COVID-19 has exposed the cracks in the weak social structures that we built with our own hands.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“It is our firm belief in those noble values that led the Kingdom of Morocco to join the United Nations in 1956 — one of its first sovereign decisions after gaining independence. Today, that vision remains as pertinent as ever. While the United Nations has secured great gains for humankind in the past, we must continue to uphold our responsibility to embody those founding values in the face of critical global threats. It is high time that we undertook reforms that would make the United Nations system more adaptive to the rapidly evolving international changes and more capable of responding swiftly to crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Mere statements and speeches are no longer adequate. Now is the time for knowledge-based and results-oriented action.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“If we had made enough progress in implementing the SDGs, the effects of today’s pandemic would have been less severe. Morocco, along with a number of countries, believes that the weaknesses that have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic constitute a real incentive to redouble our efforts and reconsider our development plans in order to ensure that the gains already made are not in vain. This has prompted the Kingdom of Morocco, under the leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, to integrate this vision into a new, integrated development approach. Seventy-five years ago, the founders of our Organization laid the foundations of a new global order based on cooperation and solidarity to end wars, prevent their miseries and create the conditions conducive to development and prosperity.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“At the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development, while calling for renewed global solidarity, His Majesty King Mohammed VI wondered whether the various disruptions and violent crises across the world were not enough to constitute a strong argument to convince sceptics that achieving sustainable development was both a collective interest and a collective responsibility. Today, we have nine years left to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, and the decisions we make now will determine the success or failure of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Our commitment is all the more important against the backdrop of the pandemic, as it primarily affects those who are most vulnerable, especially in Africa. The COVID-19 pandemic has laid bare inequalities that have been deepening over decades.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“The pandemic has revealed three major and interrelated crises facing our societies since the turn of the current century, namely, uncontrolled environmental degradation; widening socioeconomic inequalities and increasing poverty levels; and institutional dysfunction in addressing the pandemic, with international cooperation weakened by a lack of effectiveness and coherence in its response to COVID-19. The dangerous manifestations of these crises and the need to find urgent solutions to them are not the result of the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, they have dominated our societies since the beginning of the third millennium.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“I take this opportunity also to express my full appreciation for the role played by Secretary-General Antonio Guterres under these circumstances. We fully support his outstanding leadership over the COVID-19 response, and especially his call for an immediate global ceasefire and his COVID-19 Global Humanitarian Response Plan. The convening of the current session of the General Assembly is of the utmost importance, as it takes place in the context of a deadly and highly contagious pandemic, the interrelated global impact of which has undermined the resilience of societies and institutions and forced the world to face unexpected challenges.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“In the name of God, the most gracious, the most merciful, Your Majesties and Excellencies, Mr. President of the General Assembly, Mr. Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ladies and Gentlemen, It gives me pleasure to congratulate His Excellency Mr. Volkan Bozkir on his election as President of the General Assembly at its seventy-fifth session. I wish him every success as he seeks to revitalize our common endeavour. I also wish to express the Kingdom of Morocco’s deep appreciation to His Excellency Mr. Tijjani Muhammad-Bande for his efforts to ensure that the General Assembly at its seventy-fourth session has been able to continue its work despite the difficult circumstances imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“Unfortunately, however, the other parties involved, committed to their 30-year stance and proposals, did not allow progress to be made in the political process. I reiterate that Morocco is committed to working effectively and in good faith with the Secretary-General and his Personal Envoy in all their efforts and with the Security Council in order to implement the successive resolutions adopted by the Security Council. Finally, on behalf of the Kingdom of Morocco, I wish to say that with the approach of the seventieth anniversary of the founding of the Organization, we reaffirm our sincere commitment to its principles and to the active mobilization of our efforts so as to update, empower and strengthen it, given that it is the unique and optimal framework for meeting current and future challenges.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“I would like also to touch on the key issue of the territorial integrity of Morocco and the issue of the Moroccan Sahara. For several years now our authorities have followed the diligent efforts of the Secretary- General and the Security Council to resolve the Sahara issue. Morocco complies with all Security Council resolutions and has acted in good faith with respect to those resolutions and to the efforts of the Secretary- General. The most recent resolutions called for a new round of negotiations among the parties so as to achieve a sustainable political solution accepted by all. Morocco therefore launched an initiative on autonomy, a practical and moderate solution that enjoyed the support of many countries friends of Morocco as well as of several regional organizations.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“Morocco hopes to gain the Assembly’s support for its candidacy for the Human Rights Council for the period 2014-2016, in order to further contribute to strengthening the role of the Council and to ensure the effectiveness necessary for its operation. In that connection, we have recently launched an initiative relating to immigration, especially illegal migration. Morocco wished to establish other mechanisms for refugees in connection with how we address the issue and rights of immigration, especially illegal migration, and asylum. A few days ago, a new statute on immigration was enacted and the right to asylum, so as to give new rights and documents to political refugees. All of this is a very important development for our country.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“As a founding member of the Human Rights Council, Morocco has participated effectively and constructively in the formulation and implementation of the institutional texts of the Council, in particular the universal periodic review. When it was decided to take another look at the rules and mechanisms in 2011, Morocco was given the task of conducting the negotiations on them. At the same time, the Kingdom of Morocco enjoyed positive cooperation with the various institutions and mechanisms and interacted with their recommendations, in particular the universal period review, treaties and special measures, whose assessments Morocco continues to welcome, facilitate and answer with its observations.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“It is part of a comprehensive strategy and relies on an approach that favours the participation and advancement of people and the protection of their dignity within the framework of a development-focused democratic model. Morocco has therefore launched a number of projects and workshops, as well as major reforms, and made tremendous progress in broadening the sphere of individual and collective rights and freedoms, of preserving human dignity and of strengthening the protection of the rights of its citizens, especially the rights of women, children and persons with special needs. In its amended 2011 Constitution, the Kingdom of Morocco dedicated a chapter to respect for human rights as they are recognized internationally. Morocco has always desired to preserve a balance between its international and national commitments and priorities.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“The Maghreb Union would implement peace and stability by taking a number of initiatives, including a joint mediation initiative undertaken with neighbourly Spain, pursuant to the appeal by the General Assembly in favour of mediation. The Kingdom of Morocco answered the call by launching the initiative and establishing partnership agreements between Moroccan and Spanish mediation centres to provide training and invite the participation of other countries in the region. The initiative was launched in a spirit of rapprochement, dialogue and cooperation and to promote mediation, which is important not only to stop conflicts when they have broken out but also to prevent them from occurring in the first place. The Kingdom of Morocco’s decision to protect human rights is irreversible.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“The Kingdom of Morocco and its King have paid particular attention to the humanitarian dimension, which is why we established a rural hospital in Jordan a year and a half ago to provide health services to our Syrian brothers. It is well known that Morocco has been involved in the establishment of a Maghreb Union. Now is the time for coming together regionally, not for isolation. It is the time for cooperation and openness, not for unilateralism. Therefore, we are reactivating the Maghreb Union project in order to fulfil the hopes of the peoples of the five Maghreb countries and to help them to achieve stability, prosperity and sustainable development. His Majesty the King has called for a promising and ambitious Maghreb Union, and the Secretary-General has made a similar appeal.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“In that regard, I would like to thank the Secretary-General for his efforts. I would also like to thank the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, the League itself, its member States and Joint Special Envoy Mr. Lakhdar Brahimi for the joint efforts they have made during this period with regard to the shedding of Syrian blood, the agreeing on a resolution and the reaching of a solution prior to Geneva II, with a view to putting an end to the crisis in Syria. We would like to reaffirm once again the importance of the humanitarian aspect of the crisis. There are 2 million refugees and tens of thousands of displaced persons, and thousands have been killed or wounded. This is the degree of suffering that the international community is called upon to reduce.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“We are therefore talking about a Sahel- Moroccan space for the purpose of maintaining stability in the region. We condemn the recent terrorist attacks in Kenya. We would ask the international community for greater efforts to bolster security and stability in that region. The second issue that concerns us and the rest of the international community is Syria. In that respect, we commend the international community and the Security Council for adopting resolution 2118 (2013), on the Syrian chemical weapons programme, and the announcement of the date of 15 November for the holding of the “Geneva II” Middle East peace conference in order to stop the violence in Syria and reach a political solution through dialogue that would maintain the territorial integrity of Syria and the stability of its neighbours.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“We are pleased with the high-level dialogue on the Sahel that he organized on the margins of the General Assembly for the second consecutive year, as well as the visit he hopes to make to the region, accompanied by a representative of the World Bank. We hope that the United Nations integrated strategy for the Sahel will be finalized. Once again, Morocco reiterates that it will participate in all efforts to protect the countries of the Sahel and the Sahara in order to strengthen stability, security and development in the region. Morocco reaffirms once more the need to set up initiatives for the Atlantic coast States, given their security, political, economic and social interrelationship and the challenges that obtain. We believe that stability and security in the region go beyond regional frameworks.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“With respect to the Great Lakes region, the Kingdom of Morocco welcomes the signing of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework Agreement, which will greatly facilitate the real settlement of the crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which has gone on for too long. We hope that all parties will respect the Framework Agreement and that they will honour their commitments and pledges and support the international community’s efforts to establish a peace process, while respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Those challenges are part of various crises that we see occurring in the Sahel and Saharan regions. The Secretary-General has deployed many efforts along those lines.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“The second dimension would consist of development, with emphasis on bringing developing countries together, particularly countries stricken by drought and poverty, among other problems and crises, and empowering their people, as well as strengthening their capacity to achieve progress and development. That is why we have launched development programmes in coordination with Mali and other countries in the region. The third key thrust would be the humanitarian dimension. Security crises provoke unspeakable suffering for individuals and countries. Mali has seen tens of thousands of refugees leave the country and go to neighbouring countries, which is why it is important that there be a coordinated regional approach. In Bamako, the capital of Mali, we established a country hospital to relieve the suffering of the people in that area.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“The visit of His Majesty King Mohammed VI to Mali to participate in the investiture ceremony for the new President of Mali afforded an excellent opportunity for Morocco to renew its wholehearted commitment to supporting Mali’s security, unity, stability and development. In his speech, King Mohammed said that the solutions to other security crises demonstrated that the crisis in Mali required an approach that went beyond mere security. That is why we support a three-pronged approach. The first dimension would be educational and ideological and would aim at spreading a culture of moderation and centrism and instituting a dialogue between the two peoples and their States, leading to the launching of cooperation in Islamic affairs and the training of 500 mosque imams to be sent to Mali.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“We hope that are our deliberations will help to strengthen international consensus on pursuing the complete and integrated fulfilment of our commitments and on formulating a road map with clear directions and specific goals for the post-2015 period. Morocco, while itself a stable country, is part of the Sahel-Sahara region, which is highly unstable — hence the importance for the Kingdom of Morocco of the situation in the brotherly country of Mali and the dangerous challenges it has been dealing with recently. We congratulate our Malian and African brothers and the international community on the success of the recent elections there and the progress Mali has made in achieving stability. The international community should continue to support it at every level.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“I would first like to congratulate you warmly, Sir, on your election to the presidency of the General Assembly at its sixty-eighth session, and to renew our support for and highlight the efforts that Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has made at every level to enable our Organization to fulfil its role and responsibilities in dealing with the challenges of today’s world. We commend your choice of theme for our debate, Sir, “The post-2015 development agenda: setting the stage”, which is very relevant and enables us to exchange views. From this rostrum, we pay tribute to the Secretary-General’s tireless efforts to integrate the Millennium Development Goals into the Organization’s strategic objectives.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)