His Majesty the King Delivers Speech to 34th Arab Summit (Full Text)
Here follows the full text of the Royal Speech, read out by Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates Nasser Bourita:
“Praise be to God.
May peace and blessings be upon the Prophet, His Kith and Kin.
Your Excellency President Abdul Latif Jamal Rashid, President of the Republic of Iraq,
Your Majesties, Your Excellencies, Your Highnesses,
Your Excellency Chairman of the Summit, Mr. Ahmed Aboul Gheit,
Your Excellencies,
First of all, I should like to extend my sincere thanks to my brother, His Excellency President Abdul Latif Jamal Rashid, and to the people of our sister nation, Iraq, for hosting this Summit and for the tireless efforts made to provide the right conditions for its convening, in an atmosphere of brotherhood and consensus. I wish the Summit every success.
I would also like to take this opportunity to praise the commendable efforts made by my dearest brother, His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, King of our sister nation, the Kingdom of Bahrain, when chairing the Manama Summit.
Your Majesties, Your Excellencies, Your Highnesses,
The tragic situation in the Palestinian territories, where dozens of defenseless Palestinian civilians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip are killed on a daily basis, is a challenge to the international community and to global public opinion; it makes us wonder about the universal and humane standards whereby the tragedy affecting our Palestinian brothers and sisters is assessed. Indeed, they are the victims of gross violations of international law, international humanitarian law, and all human rights principles.
Given the alarming situation in the region, following the collapse of the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip, and based on the determinants set out previously to extricate the region from this dark tunnel, I call for the following:
First: The immediate cessation of military operations and a return to the negotiating table with a view to reviving the truce agreement as a prelude to declaring a final ceasefire;
Second: Urgent intervention to put an end to the Israeli military aggressions in the West Bank, especially the demolition of houses and the forced displacement of unarmed Palestinians from the areas under Israeli control.
Third: The need to ensure the continued provision of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, particularly medical and food supplies, and make sure the provision of aid is not hindered for any reason;
Fourth: The need to maintain the role of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) and to support the Agency so that it may carry out the tasks assigned to it by the international community for the benefit of the civilian population;
Fifth: Definition of a comprehensive roadmap for the implementation of the reconstruction plan approved by the recent extraordinary Arab Summit in Cairo, without the displacement of residents, to be managed by the Palestinian Authority under Arab and international supervision.
Your Majesties, Your Excellencies, Your Highnesses,
Based on the immutable principles underpinning the foreign policy of the Kingdom of Morocco and my country’s historical responsibility towards our brothers and sisters as well as its positions regarding the Palestinian cause, I wish to reiterate the following:
– The need to open up prospects for a political solution in order to bring about real, just peace to the region, which guarantees the Palestinian people the achievement of their legitimate rights and the establishment of an independent Palestinian State on the June 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital and the Gaza Strip an integral part thereof;
– The provision of adequate support to the Palestinian Authority, under the leadership of my brother, His Excellency President Mahmoud Abbas Abu Mazen, and consolidation of its institutions to meet the aspirations of the Palestinian people for security, peace, progress, and prosperity;
– The need for national reconciliation, which remains the fundamental gateway to strengthening the Palestinian position in any future peace process.
In keeping with the responsibility entrusted to me as Chairman of the al-Quds Committee, I will continue to defend the holy sites, especially al-Quds al-Sharif, by building on the combined effect of political and diplomatic action, on the one hand, and the field work carried out by the Bayt Mal al-Quds Agency, on the other. We shall continue to implement tangible programs and projects aimed at preserving the cultural and spiritual identity of the Holy City, improve the social and living conditions of the inhabitants of al-Quds, and support their steadfastness and continued presence in al-Quds.
Your Majesties, Your Excellencies, Your Highnesses,
The exceptionally delicate and difficult circumstances in which this important Summit is being held require sincere political will rooted in a firm belief in joint action and strict adherence to the principles of good neighborliness, respect for the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of states, non-interference in their internal affairs, and the need to refrain from sponsoring separatist movements, which are disavowed by history and for which there is no longer any place, given current international changes and developments.
With that in mind, joint Arab action will be effective only once the reform of our organization, which began years ago, has been completed, in a manner which fulfils our countries’ aspirations in a spirit of consensus and concord.
The Kingdom of Morocco supports all initiatives likely to revitalize joint Arab cooperation in order to tackle the crisis of rising food and energy prices as well as water scarcity, and to respond to the urgent need to address the adverse effects of climate change.
Your Majesties, Your Excellencies, Your Highnesses,
The goals sought from consolidating the principles of political solidarity and supporting Arab causes will be achieved only when we establish strong inter-Arab economic and trade partnerships that can broaden prospects for the achievement of growth and prosperity for all Arab peoples.
Despite the great importance of the economic sector as a driver for closer Arab relations, the reality on the ground shows that trade relations and investment flows are very low. Also, our countries do not seem to benefit from one another’s successful experiences in the industrial and service sectors, despite the integrated structure of their economies.
The Arab region saw modest growth of no more than 1.9% in 2024, amid an increasingly volatile global economy. Moreover, our region also remains far from achieving leading economy status in terms of living standards due to low productivity, weak competitiveness, a vulnerable business environment, and a fragile private sector.
Investing in renewable energy, artificial intelligence and modern technology offer, perhaps, a real opportunity for development, and for transitioning to more sustainable green economic models, in addition to engaging in the global changes occurring in the world. This would benefit our peoples in the region.
North Africa remains the least economically integrated region in the Arab world and the least dynamic in terms of inter-Arab trade, despite its abundant natural resources and economic potential.
Given this situation, I cannot but regret, once again, that the Arab Maghreb Union has not been able to play its natural role in promoting the joint development of the Maghreb countries by guaranteeing, in particular, the free movement of people, capital, goods and services between its five Member States.
As regards the painful and unfortunate circumstances some Arab sister nations are experiencing, the Kingdom of Morocco has not spared – nor will it spare – any effort to heal rifts and contribute to finding solutions to the crises plaguing our Arab region, making dialogue and peaceful initiatives prevail over the logic of force and military solutions.
In this regard, I wish to refer, in particular, to the crisis affecting our sister nation, Libya. Since the beginning of the crisis, the Kingdom of Morocco has been resolutely and effectively engaged in regional and international efforts aimed at reconciling political rivals and facilitating their efforts to find a solution to the crisis.
As regards our sister nation – Syria – the Kingdom of Morocco reaffirms its unwavering, historical position set out in the letter I sent to my brother, His Excellency President Ahmed Al-Sharaa, namely that we stand by and support the proud Syrian people as they seek to fulfil their aspirations for freedom, security, and stability and to preserve Syria’s territorial integrity and national sovereignty.
To confirm this position towards our brothers in Syria and support the promising course of action there, the Kingdom of Morocco has decided to reopen its embassy in Damascus, which was closed down in 2012. This will contribute to opening up broader prospects for the historical bilateral relations between our countries and our peoples in the two sister nations.
Morocco is also following with deep concern the dangerous developments unfolding in some Arab countries, such as Yemen, the Sudan, and Lebanon. My country reaffirms its engagement in and support for all initiatives and efforts aimed at promoting a political process that is conducive to stability and peace in these Arab countries, and that can help overcome differences and conflicts through peaceful and diplomatic means, while safeguarding the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of Arab sister nations.
To conclude, I should like to say, once again, that the Kingdom of Morocco is fully prepared to engage in any dynamic that promotes joint Arab action and contributes to fulfilling our peoples’ aspirations for greater security, stability, progress, and prosperity.
May Almighty God guide our steps to accomplish what is best for our Arab peoples.
Wassalamu alaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh.”
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