2024-08-02 16:10:39
Speaking at the UN Ministerial Conference on Peacekeeping, which is being held in Accra on December 5 and 6, Mr. Hilale stressed that Morocco’s participation in this fifth Conference is part of its commitment to this process since its inception in 2017.
This innovative process is a central tool in the quest of the UN and its member states for effective peacekeeping adapted to the operational contexts of the 21st century, said the Moroccan diplomat, recalling the profound changes in the environment in which peacekeeping operations are deployed.
In this sense, Mr. Hilale identified three underlying trends transforming the peacekeeping landscape, the first of which is the blurring of the lines between conflict prevention, peacekeeping and peacebuilding, requiring operational concepts that are both more responsive and more holistic, with the ultimate goal of achieving lasting political solutions.
The second trend, Mr. Hilale continued, is the emergence of new deadly threats to peacekeepers, including terrorist attacks, pandemics and other health emergencies, the use of improvised explosive devices and the proliferation of hate speech and disinformation, while the third trend relates to conflicts that are experiencing an inflation of actors, creating an increased need for coordination on the part of the United Nations.
Based on these observations, the Moroccan diplomat stressed the importance of making this multilateral process a platform for planning for the future of peacekeeping operations, beyond a simple technical exercise of identifying needs.
Regarding the commitments made by the Kingdom, in accordance with the very high instructions of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, Supreme Commander and Chief of Staff of the Royal Armed Forces, in eight priority areas of action, Mr. Hilale specified that the Kingdom will offer training within the Center of Excellence for Peacekeeping Operations in Benslimane in the areas of protection of civilians, the fight against disinformation, digitalization, telemedicine and mental health as well as environmental protection.
Regarding women in peace operations, Mr. Hilale said that Morocco will increase the representation of women in its contingents and organize training for military gender advisers and gender focal points.
In the field of health, Morocco will provide the UN with a level 4 hospital capacity, and will provide training in the areas of telemedicine, mental health and first aid, noted the ambassador, permanent representative of Morocco to the UN.
In terms of safety and security, Morocco will provide the UN with four dog teams, an infantry battalion and a mixed engineering company, Mr. Hilale said.
The Kingdom of Morocco, he noted, is among the ten largest troop-contributing countries of the UN, deploying 1,718 peacekeepers in the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan.
The 5th Ministerial Conference on Peacekeeping aims to gather political support from the international community for peacekeeping operations, identify new commitments by countries to strengthen peacekeeping operations and assess the implementation of these commitments.
The Kingdom has chaired the Non-Aligned Movement’s coordination group on UN peacekeeping in New York for many years. It also initiated the creation of a group of affinity states on issues of combating hate speech and misinformation against peacekeepers.
The Moroccan delegation to this important meeting also includes the Ambassador of His Majesty the King in Accra, Imane Ouaadil, the Director of the United Nations and International Organizations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans Abroad, Redouane Houssaini, senior officers of the Royal Armed Forces, an official from the National Defense Administration and the advisor to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans Abroad, Abdessalam El Ouazzani.
2024-08-02 16:10:39