Praise be to God        

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

My Dear brother, Leader of the Revolution of the Great Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya,
Distinguished Heads of State and Government,
Your Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

The convening of this Summit attests to the relevance and vibrancy of the ambitious, mutually beneficial strategic partnership we launched in Cairo in 2000, and went on to strengthen in Lisbon in 2007.

Allow me, first, to express my sincere appreciation to my dear brother Muammar Gaddafi for all he has done to ensure the success of our Summit, and for the genuine, characteristic hospitality of the Libyan people.

Since our last Summit in Lisbon three years ago, consultation, dialogue and multidimensional cooperation have formed the bedrock of our partnership, giving concrete substance to the full spectrum of our shared ambitions and aspirations.

Our joint strategy, which is a hallmark of this partnership, has enabled us to forge a common vision of the issues and challenges confronting African and European states. We have often seen eye to eye on matters of global concern and also managed to give concrete substance to our partnership through the implementation of several tangible initiatives and programs.

It is gratifying to note that so much has been achieved. However, we do need to reiterate our commitment to strive doubly hard to achieve all our goals, address shortcomings and realize the full potential of our strategic partnership.

As Africa changes, moves forward and takes its rightful place among the nations of the world, our partnership will have to take into consideration the full meaning and implications of the profound changes under way, as well as the stakes involved.

Your Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The scope of the questions to be addressed by this third Summit reflects the full gamut of the areas covered by our partnership. This underscores, above all, the relevance of the proactive approach we have been using to address issues of common concern.

The choice of the overall theme Investment, Growth and Employment attests to a common awareness of the effects the financial and economic crisis has had on both our continents. Peace and security, governance and human rights, migration and development, energy and climate change … all of these are crucial questions that should be given the Summit’s undivided attention.

Your Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Morocco is deeply committed to active cooperation and solidarity with African nations. It has always sought to promote African unity and solidarity through concrete actions and tangible initiatives, whose primary goal has been to enable African countries to benefit from sustainable development with a human face.

In this regard, Morocco spares no effort to share its skills and expertise with sister African nations in fields that are crucial to development, like technical training, infrastructure, health, water resource management, agriculture, the fisheries, access to remote and landlocked areas, connectivity and logistics, the finance sector, information technology, etc.

Government agencies and, increasingly, the private sector, professional organizations and civil society in Morocco should get the credit for this commitment to cooperation and solidarity. The efforts of these players are being pooled and streamlined to achieve tangible cooperation and partnership, with genuine positive impact on investment, growth and job creation.

In addition to its bilateral relations, Morocco has been just as committed to cooperation with African states bordering the Atlantic Ocean, a region affected by growing and increasingly complex economic, environmental and security challenges. The same region, however, also has great potential and offers real prospects for economic integration, human development, environmental regulation and collective security.

Your Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
There can be no development, investment, growth or job creation without taking into consideration the relationship between peace, security and stability. Nor are peace and security possible without the promotion of democracy, human rights and good governance.

Admittedly, major strides have been made in the areas of peace and security, and commendable progress has been achieved with respect to democracy, governance and human rights. However, further efforts are needed to stabilize persisting hotbeds of tension, and to increase our countries’ commitment to the ideals of democracy, good governance and human rights.

Ever since it gained independence, Morocco has taken measures to promote stability in Africa; it has participated in UN peacekeeping operations and played a mediating role in disputes, often helping to achieve a positive outcome in particularly complex situations.

It is our firm belief that the best way to strengthen peace, security and stability in Africa is by focusing on preventive action and by addressing the root causes of conflicts, crises and tensions. These causes are often numerous and interdependent, involving political, economic, social, human and environmental factors.

Your Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
One of the causes of insecurity and instability is foreign interference in domestic affairs. Morocco therefore stresses the imperative need to respect the territorial integrity of African countries. It rejects any interference in domestic affairs, particularly that which is aimed at tearing the continent apart and spreading insecurity, war and anarchy. Only terrorist groups - which are becoming increasingly active in our region - stand to benefit from the destabilization of African countries.

We therefore have to work together to combat transnational threats such as terrorism, piracy, cross-border crime, trafficking of all kinds and hostage-taking. To this end, we need enhanced cooperation at regional, sub-regional and inter-regional levels, as well as a solidarity-based, inclusive approach involving all the countries concerned.

Regarding this issue of transnational threats, we are concerned about the recent escalation of terrorist activities aimed at destabilizing the region and undermining the security of the countries in the Sahel-Saharan zone. We are all concerned about the precariousness of the situation prevailing in the region and the many challenges resulting from it.  This highlights the need for strong regional and international cooperation and for an integrated approach to security and development.

Your Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The issue of migration and development is a strategic one, both within Africa and between the African continent and the European Union. In this respect, Morocco calls for the establishment of a stronger link between migration and development strategies, in line with the vision we endorsed together in Rabat, in 2006, and here in Tripoli during the first rounds of the Euro-African dialogue on migration and development. We must work together to involve migrant communities in the economic and social development of their countries of origin.

Climate change is about more than just environmental issues. Climate change impacts on our health and food security, as well as on the stability and well-being of our populations quite considerably. It has adverse effects on human security in general and can be a prime cause of tension and conflict. Needless to say, climate change has a global impact, but it is Africa that remains most vulnerable to its adverse and - at times - devastating effects.
I am therefore pleased that, within the framework of our partnership, we have set up climate change adjustment and mitigation programs to address adverse effects. This area is of paramount importance for the sustainable development of African countries. Failure to address this phenomenon could significantly undermine the continent’s development efforts.

The Kingdom of Morocco also welcomes the adoption, by our Summit, of the joint statement on climate change, which sends out to the UN Conference on Climate Change currently taking place in Cancun, the message that Europe and Africa are of the same mind. That Conference seeks to adopt an international framework for action to address this phenomenon.

In this regard, Morocco hopes the link between the climate and development will be highlighted further and calls for the use of renewable energy to be encouraged and promoted, an area in which Africa has tremendous potential.

Your Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Besides the overall strategic vision of Africa as a whole, the operational tools underpinning our partnership should also explore the sub-regional dimension in order to achieve greater efficiency. Our partnership should invest in regional economic communities which constitute efficient geopolitical platforms and ideal starting points for economic integration, in order to channel our energies in worthwhile directions.

As well as enabling African countries to continue to nurture the legitimate ambition of achieving continental integration, such an approach would make it possible for them  to promote a sense of belonging to regional, geopolitical groupings that can give them better positioning in the global economy as well as a sharper competitive edge.

This is the reason why we are calling for our regional economic communities to be more effectively involved in the implementation of the joint strategy and its action plans, so that they hold their rightful place in our strategic partnership.

In this respect, we are fully aware of the Arab Maghreb Union’s great potential, provided its five Member States manage to remove all obstacles and impediments that continue to delay the full deployment of the Union’s enormous resources and capabilities.
A strong, united Arab Maghreb would be in a position to build on the various partnership frameworks developed with other groupings - inside Africa and with the European Union - in order to achieve better interaction and undertake mutually beneficial initiatives and thus realize the full potential of the Euro-African partnership.

Your Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
As the product of a common history and of rich multi-cultural and human exchanges, our partnership is set to become a pact for the future; one that can enable us, together, not only to build on opportunities, but also to rise to challenges and threats to our common space.

Hope, trust, mutual respect and faith in the future will be the hallmarks of our action. They are also the source of our inspiration for brighter, more promising prospects. An integral, solidarity-based approach is the best way to build a common space of stability, security, prosperity and well-being for all.

Wassalamu alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh. 

Praise be to God        

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

My Dear brother, Leader of the Revolution of the Great Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya,
Distinguished Heads of State and Government,
Your Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

The convening of this Summit attests to the relevance and vibrancy of the ambitious, mutually beneficial strategic partnership we launched in Cairo in 2000, and went on to strengthen in Lisbon in 2007.

Allow me, first, to express my sincere appreciation to my dear brother Muammar Gaddafi for all he has done to ensure the success of our Summit, and for the genuine, characteristic hospitality of the Libyan people.

Since our last Summit in Lisbon three years ago, consultation, dialogue and multidimensional cooperation have formed the bedrock of our partnership, giving concrete substance to the full spectrum of our shared ambitions and aspirations.

Our joint strategy, which is a hallmark of this partnership, has enabled us to forge a common vision of the issues and challenges confronting African and European states. We have often seen eye to eye on matters of global concern and also managed to give concrete substance to our partnership through the implementation of several tangible initiatives and programs.

It is gratifying to note that so much has been achieved. However, we do need to reiterate our commitment to strive doubly hard to achieve all our goals, address shortcomings and realize the full potential of our strategic partnership.

As Africa changes, moves forward and takes its rightful place among the nations of the world, our partnership will have to take into consideration the full meaning and implications of the profound changes under way, as well as the stakes involved.

Your Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The scope of the questions to be addressed by this third Summit reflects the full gamut of the areas covered by our partnership. This underscores, above all, the relevance of the proactive approach we have been using to address issues of common concern.

The choice of the overall theme Investment, Growth and Employment attests to a common awareness of the effects the financial and economic crisis has had on both our continents. Peace and security, governance and human rights, migration and development, energy and climate change … all of these are crucial questions that should be given the Summit’s undivided attention.

Your Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Morocco is deeply committed to active cooperation and solidarity with African nations. It has always sought to promote African unity and solidarity through concrete actions and tangible initiatives, whose primary goal has been to enable African countries to benefit from sustainable development with a human face.

In this regard, Morocco spares no effort to share its skills and expertise with sister African nations in fields that are crucial to development, like technical training, infrastructure, health, water resource management, agriculture, the fisheries, access to remote and landlocked areas, connectivity and logistics, the finance sector, information technology, etc.

Government agencies and, increasingly, the private sector, professional organizations and civil society in Morocco should get the credit for this commitment to cooperation and solidarity. The efforts of these players are being pooled and streamlined to achieve tangible cooperation and partnership, with genuine positive impact on investment, growth and job creation.

In addition to its bilateral relations, Morocco has been just as committed to cooperation with African states bordering the Atlantic Ocean, a region affected by growing and increasingly complex economic, environmental and security challenges. The same region, however, also has great potential and offers real prospects for economic integration, human development, environmental regulation and collective security.

Your Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
There can be no development, investment, growth or job creation without taking into consideration the relationship between peace, security and stability. Nor are peace and security possible without the promotion of democracy, human rights and good governance.

Admittedly, major strides have been made in the areas of peace and security, and commendable progress has been achieved with respect to democracy, governance and human rights. However, further efforts are needed to stabilize persisting hotbeds of tension, and to increase our countries’ commitment to the ideals of democracy, good governance and human rights.

Ever since it gained independence, Morocco has taken measures to promote stability in Africa; it has participated in UN peacekeeping operations and played a mediating role in disputes, often helping to achieve a positive outcome in particularly complex situations.

It is our firm belief that the best way to strengthen peace, security and stability in Africa is by focusing on preventive action and by addressing the root causes of conflicts, crises and tensions. These causes are often numerous and interdependent, involving political, economic, social, human and environmental factors.

Your Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
One of the causes of insecurity and instability is foreign interference in domestic affairs. Morocco therefore stresses the imperative need to respect the territorial integrity of African countries. It rejects any interference in domestic affairs, particularly that which is aimed at tearing the continent apart and spreading insecurity, war and anarchy. Only terrorist groups - which are becoming increasingly active in our region - stand to benefit from the destabilization of African countries.

We therefore have to work together to combat transnational threats such as terrorism, piracy, cross-border crime, trafficking of all kinds and hostage-taking. To this end, we need enhanced cooperation at regional, sub-regional and inter-regional levels, as well as a solidarity-based, inclusive approach involving all the countries concerned.

Regarding this issue of transnational threats, we are concerned about the recent escalation of terrorist activities aimed at destabilizing the region and undermining the security of the countries in the Sahel-Saharan zone. We are all concerned about the precariousness of the situation prevailing in the region and the many challenges resulting from it.  This highlights the need for strong regional and international cooperation and for an integrated approach to security and development.

Your Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The issue of migration and development is a strategic one, both within Africa and between the African continent and the European Union. In this respect, Morocco calls for the establishment of a stronger link between migration and development strategies, in line with the vision we endorsed together in Rabat, in 2006, and here in Tripoli during the first rounds of the Euro-African dialogue on migration and development. We must work together to involve migrant communities in the economic and social development of their countries of origin.

Climate change is about more than just environmental issues. Climate change impacts on our health and food security, as well as on the stability and well-being of our populations quite considerably. It has adverse effects on human security in general and can be a prime cause of tension and conflict. Needless to say, climate change has a global impact, but it is Africa that remains most vulnerable to its adverse and - at times - devastating effects.
I am therefore pleased that, within the framework of our partnership, we have set up climate change adjustment and mitigation programs to address adverse effects. This area is of paramount importance for the sustainable development of African countries. Failure to address this phenomenon could significantly undermine the continent’s development efforts.

The Kingdom of Morocco also welcomes the adoption, by our Summit, of the joint statement on climate change, which sends out to the UN Conference on Climate Change currently taking place in Cancun, the message that Europe and Africa are of the same mind. That Conference seeks to adopt an international framework for action to address this phenomenon.

In this regard, Morocco hopes the link between the climate and development will be highlighted further and calls for the use of renewable energy to be encouraged and promoted, an area in which Africa has tremendous potential.

Your Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Besides the overall strategic vision of Africa as a whole, the operational tools underpinning our partnership should also explore the sub-regional dimension in order to achieve greater efficiency. Our partnership should invest in regional economic communities which constitute efficient geopolitical platforms and ideal starting points for economic integration, in order to channel our energies in worthwhile directions.

As well as enabling African countries to continue to nurture the legitimate ambition of achieving continental integration, such an approach would make it possible for them  to promote a sense of belonging to regional, geopolitical groupings that can give them better positioning in the global economy as well as a sharper competitive edge.

This is the reason why we are calling for our regional economic communities to be more effectively involved in the implementation of the joint strategy and its action plans, so that they hold their rightful place in our strategic partnership.

In this respect, we are fully aware of the Arab Maghreb Union’s great potential, provided its five Member States manage to remove all obstacles and impediments that continue to delay the full deployment of the Union’s enormous resources and capabilities.
A strong, united Arab Maghreb would be in a position to build on the various partnership frameworks developed with other groupings - inside Africa and with the European Union - in order to achieve better interaction and undertake mutually beneficial initiatives and thus realize the full potential of the Euro-African partnership.

Your Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
As the product of a common history and of rich multi-cultural and human exchanges, our partnership is set to become a pact for the future; one that can enable us, together, not only to build on opportunities, but also to rise to challenges and threats to our common space.

Hope, trust, mutual respect and faith in the future will be the hallmarks of our action. They are also the source of our inspiration for brighter, more promising prospects. An integral, solidarity-based approach is the best way to build a common space of stability, security, prosperity and well-being for all.

Wassalamu alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.    

Full text of HM the King's message to Chairman of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People

New York (United Nations) - HM King Mohammed VI sent a message to the Chairman of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, on the occasion of the celebration, on Monday, of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.
Here follows the full text of His Majesty’s message:

Praise be to God       May peace and blessings be upon the Prophet, His Kith and Kin

The Honourable Paul Badji,
Chairman of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

On the occasion of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, it gives me great pleasure to say how much I appreciate your untiring efforts and those of the esteemed Committee members to defend the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, especially their right to establish an Independent Palestinian State, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Throughout the various developments of the Palestinian issue, the Committee has shown its unswerving commitment as well as its continued support for the international community’s serious efforts to alleviate the suffering of our Palestinian brothers and defend their legitimate rights. This has earned your Committee great respect from freedom and peace advocates, supporters of justice and legitimacy, and all those who are sympathetic to this just cause.

I should like to commend your Committee on including in this year’s program of action such important activities as the Committee's African Meeting, which the Kingdom of Morocco had the honour to host last July. This meeting has had a positive impact in terms of sensitizing influential international actors about the need to end the conflict in the region, and to press ahead with efforts to achieve the desired goal of bringing about peace on the basis of a two-state solution, so that the Palestinian people may establish their own viable, independent state in Palestinian territories occupied in 1967, in accordance with a specific timeframe and in keeping with the principles and resolutions of international legitimacy.

In view of the current crucial situation, which is the result of the Israeli government’s persistent policy of settlements building and Judaization, its fait accompli tactics and its denial of the Palestinian people’s historic, legitimate rights, I call upon the international community to shoulder its responsibilities and compel Israel to stop resorting to unilateral practices, give peace a chance and pave the way for serious international efforts aimed at finding a just, lasting and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian question.

As Chairman of the Al-Quds Committee, I shall spare no effort to pursue the action designed to save the holy city and to preserve its character as well as its religious and cultural heritage. I call on all the stakeholders who are committed to peace to step up efforts in order to oblige Israel to cease its aggressive policies as well as its settlements and expansion projects which, as everyone knows, constitute the most serious hurdle to clear before serious, constructive negotiations can be launched.

I take this opportunity to reaffirm my strong, unswerving support for the Palestinian National Authority, under the leadership of His Excellency President Mahmoud Abbas.  I call on all our Palestinian brothers to strive to preserve national Palestinian unity and enhance their ability to make their own decisions, so that they may fulfill the legitimate aspiration of the Palestinian people for independence and the achievement of sovereignty.