The 49th Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), held between March 16 and 17 in Nouakchott, highlighted the pioneering role of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, as the Leader of the African Union (AU) on the issue of migration.
Towards the end of this session, in which Morocco was represented by a delegation led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, Nasser Bourita, the ministers emphasized the efforts that the Kingdom invested in the field of migration as well as the relevance of Morocco’s policies of integrating migrants, regularizing their legal situation and providing them with the conditions for a decent life.
The Council also welcomed the establishment of the African Migration Observatory in Morocco.
This session, organized under the theme “Moderation: Key to Security and Stability”, was also an opportunity to underline the actions undertaken by the Kingdom, under the wise leadership of His Majesty the King, to restore security and stability in several Member States of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), especially in Africa.
In this regard, the ministers praised Morocco’s active role as the chair of the Central African Republic (CAR) Configuration of the United Nations (UN) Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) since 2021 and its efforts in consolidating peace in the Central African Republic (CAR).
The Council also welcomed the opening of the United Nations (UN) Office of Counter-Terrorism Program Office for Counter-Terrorism and Training in Africa in Rabat, urging the Members States of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to take advantage of this partnership and collaborative projects implemented by this office in the field of counter-terrorism.
In addition, the Council recalled Morocco’s organization of the high-level meeting of heads of counter-terrorism and security agencies of North African and Sahel countries, held in Marrakech between June 23 and 24, 2022.
The Council also highlighted the Kingdom’s efforts in countering terrorism and extremism through its initiatives undertaken at the regional and international levels, crowned by the implementation of the Office of the United Nations Program for Counter-Terrorism and Training in Africa, as well as the co-chairmanship with Canada of the Global Counter-Terrorism Forum and the organization in Marrakech, in May 2022, of the Ministerial Meeting of the Global Coalition against Daesh.
In this regard, the Council affirmed that “the threats imposed by separatist groups to political stability and security in many regions are as dangerous as those imposed by terrorist and extremist groups,” which urges Member States to adopt a comprehensive approach with the aim of multiplying efforts to limit the spread of extremism, terrorism, and separatism.
The Council also commended Morocco’s $1 million donation, under High Royal Instructions, for the benefit of the Yemeni people, on the occasion of the holding of the High-Level Pledging Event to contribute to the Yemen Humanitarian Response Plan, on March 1, 2021, as well as the Kingdom’s assistance to the Union of Comoros with medical equipment to cope with the Covid-19 pandemic.
This two-day session covered several issues, namely the Palestinian cause and developments in Afghanistan and the Sahel region.
