WASHINGTON – At the annual United Nations General Assembly, Morocco asserted its position as a formidable political presence by holding the “Africa beyond 2015” debate, a discussion on Morocco and Africa’s future development objectives.
The debate, presided by the Moroccan High Commission of Planning, and with participation from African officials, senior UN officials, diplomats, and eminent personalities from international and regional financial institutions and think tanks, was a productive forum for brainstorming the future trajectory of African growth.
The debate, which was held in conjunction with the 68th General Assembly of the United Nations and the High Level meeting on the Millennium Development Goals, stemmed from the High Planning Commission, which, under the patronage of King Mohammed VI, is responsible for Morocco’s forward thinking reform initiatives, and included “Morocco 2013, in its geo-strategic environment.”
The objective of the meeting was to address the progress of the Millennium Development Goals in Africa, and how to implement further development agenda once the MDGs expire in 2015.
The High Commissioner for Planning, Ahmed Lahlimi, emphasized Morocco’s strong engagement in the African community. He stated that “Morocco shares with its African peers an ardent obligation to achieve economic growth in the service of human development and sustainable social cohesion.”
He affirmed the commitment of Morocco to steer the African continent into a prosperous and inclusive post-MDG future by highlighting the participation of Sheikh Modibo Diarra, the former PM of Mali, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Ivory Coast, Charles Koffi Dibby, Lounceny Fall, the Guinean Foreign Minister, and the Senegalese Minister of Planning, Abdoulaye Balde. He also noted that the presence of a diverse network of African leaders with Morocco “is a sign for us of [Africa’s] identity and vision of the countries’ positions and values.”
Also speaking at the meeting was the Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs, Saad Eddine El Outmani, who provided a more pragmatic approach to the continent’s future development goals. ”Although the MDGs have created opportunity for progress in the region, it is a framework that must still be filled in with serious commitments from the countries involved and inclusive cooperation,” he said.
El Otmani remarked that “if we rejoice that Africa has made significant progress in socio-economic development, the continent still lags behind some goals.” The challenges to the continent’s progress he discusses are, of course, rising rates of youth unemployment, creating sustainable investment opportunities in the region, and improving access to markets—all essential elements to consider in any development program for the post-2015.
The post-MDG agenda, according to Minister Outmani, should reflect three dimensions of sustainable development—social, economic, and environmental—in an integrated and coordinated approach with the central goal of eradicating poverty.
The participants of the “Africa beyond 2015” meeting had the opportunity to exchange experiences and views on the development agenda for post-2015, and agreed that it will depend on a strengthened and renewed means of implementation, including through the definition of measurable objectives and time-bound implementation of global partnership.
© Morocco World News. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, rewritten or redistributed