Rabat – Following the adoption on Friday, July 13, of the first UN-sponsored “Global Compact” on migration, Omar Hilale, Morocco’s Ambassador to the UN, highlighted Morocco’s leadership role in global migration, praising King Mohammed VI for his personal involvement in tackling migration.
Speaking to American Television News in the immediate aftermath of the adoption of a text he called a “global vision,” Hilale said that migration is a global issue that can only be solved through “courageous steps” and a strong coalition of countries committed to dialogue and multilateral conventions.
The text adopted at the end of Friday’s summit promised to commit the UN and its different organs to providing a strong multilateral framework to ensure that the dignity and the rights of migrants are respected.
“This a historical day for multilateralism,” Hilale said, arguing that Morocco will always be present in such situations.
Morocco takes the lead on migration
“This is not a new issue for Morocco,” the Moroccan diplomat said, underlining Morocco’s implication in all migration-related dialogues since 2000. According to Hilale, Morocco, Mexico, the Philippines, and Sweden, were the countries that initiated and coordinated the entire process which led to the adoption of the Global Compact.
“We called for realism and global vision during the negotiations,” Hilale said.
As the global summit to finalize the adoption of Friday’s agreement is expected to take place in Marrakech next December, Hilale stressed Morocco’s role in the entire process, from the conception of the idea to the government’s adoption in recent years of rules and regulations to facilitate migrants’ social and professional integration in Morocco.
Morocco under King Mohammed VI has taken bold steps in its foreign policy by committing global standards on immigration and related issues, including global and continental security, the Moroccan official suggested.
Marrakech will be the culmination of Morocco’s local, regional, and multilateral commitments,” the diplomat said, promising that Morocco will be active after Marrakech in terms of upholding the spirit of the Global Compact.
During an AU summit last year, African Heads of states designated King Mohammed VI as Africa’s leader for migration. Since then, many Moroccan cities have hosted African summits on migration, and Morocco has given legal status to over 80,000 “irregular” sub-Saharan migrants.
“We are the voice of Africa,” Hilale said, referring to the King Mohammed’s position in the continental vision on migration. He added, “When there is political will, there is possibility to agree on projects.”
