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Rabat – Morocco has taken over the presidency of the Conference on Disarmament, the United Nations’ sole forum tasked with negotiating international disarmament treaties.
The short term runs until March 13, 2026 and places Rabat at the center of delicate global security discussions.
The country is represented in Geneva by its Permanent Representative to the UN, Omar Zniber, who now chairs the conference at a time of deep international strain.
Moroccan officials view the appointment as recognition of the country’s steady role in multilateral diplomacy.
Morocco has sought to anchor its foreign policy in dialogue, collective security, and respect for international law. Rabat has also pushed to keep disarmament high on the UN agenda, despite years of limited progress within the conference itself.
This year’s session opens in a tense climate. Rivalries between major powers persist. Trust between states has weakened. Arms development programs expand in several regions.
These trends place additional pressure on a forum that has struggled to deliver new binding agreements in recent decades.
Morocco now faces the task of restoring confidence among member states and encouraging serious negotiations.
Diplomats in Geneva note that any breakthrough will require political will from key capitals, not procedural adjustments alone. Rabat has signaled that it will promote inclusive dialogue in an effort to move discussions beyond entrenched positions.
A central moment of the Moroccan presidency will come with the High-Level Ministerial Segment scheduled for February 23 to 25.
Around 40 senior officials, including foreign ministers and the UN Secretary-General, are expected to attend. The gathering offers an opportunity to inject political momentum into a forum that many observers consider stalled.
Morocco seeks to reinforce its profile as a reliable actor within the UN system and to push for renewed commitment to arms control efforts.
