Morocco is the country best placed and most “legitimate” to represent Africa as a permanent member of the Security Council, the Kingdom's Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN in New York, Omar Hilale, said on Friday in Rabat.
In an interview with MAP on the sidelines of the 13th annual international conference of the Policy Center for the New South (PCNS) “The Atlantic Dialogues,” Hilale stressed that the Kingdom, under the leadership of King Mohammed VI, has precisely this capacity to represent the continent and defend Africa's causes and interests.
“The Kingdom is eligible to become a Security Council member because, quite simply, the fundamental criterion for membership is to contribute to peace and security in the world, notably by contributing to peacekeeping forces,” the ambassador explained.
In this respect, he recalled that since the 1960s, Morocco has been among the most consistent countries in deploying its soldiers on UN peacekeeping missions around the world.
The Moroccan ambassador stressed that the Royal Armed Forces have played a fundamental role, particularly in Africa, thanks to their knowledge of African culture and language, but also through social action in favor of populations and the promotion of dialogue between different communities, in accordance with the High Guidelines of the King.
"The other criterion for contributing to international security is democracy,” he added, emphasizing that the Kingdom, a democratic state governed by the rule of law, remains committed to universal values and respect for the UN Charter and principles.
It is also a question of the Kingdom's ability to represent the African continent and defend the causes and interests of Africa and its countries, the Moroccan diplomat added, highlighting Morocco's active solidarity, under the enlightened leadership of the King, with African states.
Morocco is also fully committed to bilateral and trilateral cooperation, in addition to its mediation efforts and initiatives, he noted, adding that the Kingdom's role and action in the field of cooperation and humanitarian assistance have been recognized and praised by the UN.
“As a result, Morocco has assets that legitimately allow it to be eligible, when the time comes, for a permanent position on the Security Council,” he stressed.
