Rabat – Morocco’s King Mohammed VI addressed, on Monday, November 1, a speech to the 26th United Nations Conference of the Parties (COP26), which commenced on Monday in Glasgow, Scotland.
Through the speech, which was delivered by the Prime Minister, Aziz Akhannouch, King Mohammed VI congratulated the UK for successfully organizing and chairing the COP26 summit, describing the event as “an opportunity to reinforce collective commitment to face up to the great perils threatening the future of humanity.”
King Mohammed VI underlined the urgency of a “real political will” to face “the brunt of a global economic system from which humankind is not benefiting equitably.”
The speech highlighted the “shortcomings of the current international system” which caused Africa to suffer unfair damage as a result of climate change, with little financial and technological support to aid its recovery.
“Mankind has but one of two choices: either surrender to self-destructing apathy, or engage honestly and unequivocally in a set of practical measures that can rapidly effect a real change in the current policy, which has proven its ineffectiveness.,” said the Moroccan Sovereign.
The monarch addressed the COVID-19 pandemic, affirming that “the global response to the threat of the pandemic has shown that there are possibilities and means which were presumably unavailable when it came to combating climate change.”
The King expressed optimism and expectations for this year’s COP session, which involved stimulating a global collective awareness that would pave the way for the establishment of sustainable, solidarity-based human communities that uphold the values of fairness and coexistence.
The Moroccan Sovereign indicated that Morocco’s low-carbon development strategy, which includes raising its Nationally Determined Contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 45.5% by 2030, aims, in the long term, to “transition to a green economy that is in line with the sustainable development goals.”
King Mohammed VI then highlighted Morocco’s efforts to help fight against the effects of climate change, particularly initiatives related to agricultural adaptation, the promotion of security and stability, and access to sustainable energy, in addition to the launching of three African Climate Commissions, within the framework of the Africa Action Summit, held in Marrakesh in November 2016.
The speech concluded with the monarch urging the global community to “awaken” and activate tangible solutions to “change the worrying path towards which the world is heading.”
