Morocco called on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to adopt sanctions against the misappropriation of humanitarian aid.
This call was made by Morocco’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN), Omar Kadiri, during a debate on famine and conflict-induced food insecurity, chaired by US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, whose country holds the rotating presidency of the Security Council (SC) for August.
Kadiri recalled that in 2018, the Security Council (SC) unanimously adopted resolution 2417, which highlighted the link between armed conflicts and violence and conflict-induced food insecurity and the threat of famine.
The Moroccan diplomat noted that this resolution strongly condemns violations of international humanitarian law, such as the intentional obstruction of the delivery of humanitarian aid, adding that as stipulated in operational paragraph 9 of this resolution, the Council must adopt sanctions against the persons or entities responsible for the diversion of humanitarian aid and who obstruct the delivery, distribution, or access to said aid.
The Moroccan diplomat also underlined the importance of strengthening the role of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) to make food security a central element of the consolidation and sustainability of peace, taking into account the specificities of the countries concerned and mobilizing the necessary efforts to this end.
Kadiri also stressed that food security and food systems sustainability are strategic priorities for Morocco at the national, regional, and international levels, noting that these priorities are at the center of Morocco’s South-South cooperation with brotherly countries, particularly in Africa, in line with the High Directives of His Majesty King Mohammed VI.
The Moroccan diplomat recalled that at the initiative of His Majesty the King, Morocco launched, on the occasion of COP22 held in Marrakesh, the “AAA Initiative” for the Adaptation of agriculture to climate change, adding that the Triple S (3S) Initiative aims to support sustainability, stability, and security in Africa through agriculture.
Kadiri also stated that at the African Summit for Action, organized on the sidelines of COP22, 3 Climate Commissions were established in Africa to fight against climate change, the cause of food insecurity, adding that Morocco is providing political, financial, and technical support for the effective implementation of these Commissions’ mandates.
Morocco’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN) also pointed out that, as part of the drive to boost food security in Africa, the Kingdom has been allocating millions of tons of fertilizers, adapted to African soils and crops, to the continent for several decades, emphasizing that in 2023, Morocco will devote over 4 million tons of fertilizer to African farmers, equivalent to double the amount in 2021, which will provide support to over forty-four million African farmers.
“Morocco also allocates millions of tons of fertilizer to developing countries in other regions,” stated Kadiri.
The Moroccan diplomat also added that Morocco is implementing a large-scale program to tackle food security in Africa through a scientific and holistic approach, underlining that the Kingdom’s initiatives aim to mobilize and align government resources, development partners, and private sector funding to unlock Africa’s food production potential through South-South and triangular cooperation, to overcome food insecurity, and thus prevent potential conflicts.
Morocco reiterated its full support for the Secretary-General’s implementation of the Global Crisis Task Force on Food, Energy, and Finance (GCRG), while calling for active international solidarity to end the severe threats imposed by hunger and food security worldwide, particularly in Africa.
The Moroccan diplomat also pointed out that the world is experiencing several tensions that have triggered a multidimensional crisis (food, energy, climate, and financial crisis), which is impacting the most vulnerable countries and economies, especially in Africa.
Kadiri argued that in such a fragile context marked by interconnected crises, “which undermine our ability to respond collectively, the implementation of SDG 2 on creating a world free of hunger, ensuring food security, and improving nutrition is highly at risk”.
The Moroccan diplomat stressed that this situation calls for a collective response that is humanitarian, development-friendly, and peace-oriented, as well as a reinforcement of the peace and food security nexus, with particular emphasis on prevention.