Rabat – Morocco has announced its candidacy for the presidency of the 6th UN Environment Assembly.
The Moroccan government announced its candidacy during the 18th Session of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment on September 18.
Aziz Rabbah, Morocco’s Minister of Energy, represented Morocco during the virtual event held under the theme “Ensuring the well-being of people and ensuring environmental sustainability in Africa.”
Over 20 ministers from the African continent attended the virtual meeting.
Josefa Sako, commissioner in charge of Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Development of the AU Commission attended the meeting along with Inger Andersen, the Executive Director of the UN Environment Program.
Speaking on the preparation for the 6th UN Environment Assembly, Rabbah announced Morocco’s intention to represent Africa and to chair the body for the next two years.
“This candidacy is motivated by the commitment and active contribution of the kingdom of Morocco to regional and global processes in favor of the environment and sustainable development,” Rabbah said.
The 6th UN Environment Assembly is scheduled to be held in February 2022.
Morocco has repeatedly expressed determination to pursue sustainable development in a variety of ways, including through renewable energy.
Morocco’s commitment to climate change is evident through a number of initiatives, including the launch of programs designed to strengthen the African continent’s resilience in the face of a climate crisis.
Rabbah renewed Morocco’s commitment, calling on all other African countries to participate in efforts to serve the continent.
He emphasized that despite the negative impacts of COVID-19, the pandemic offers an “opportunity for African countries to establish sustainable and low-carbon growth that brings many opportunities for investment, jobs, and added value.”
The minister said that future multilateral environmental conferences will be “decisive” in the process of implementing international agendas pertaining to the environment and sustainable development.
Rabbah also urged African countries to engage in a campaign that would defend the continent’s interests, as well as to demonstrate the continent’s willingness to meet climate change-related challenges.
