His Majesty King Mohammed VI, Sovereign of the
Kingdom of Morocco, asked me to convey to the
Assembly his greetings. He also asked me to deliver
the following statement, prepared for the sixty-ninth
session of the General Assembly:
“It gives me great pleasure to take part in the
sixty-ninth session of the General Assembly, for
which President Kutesa has suggested ‘Delivering
on and implementing a transformative post-2015
development agenda’ as the central theme. That
is a very relevant choice, which is fully in line
with our Organization’s priorities, especially as
it encompasses economic, social, environmental,
security and political considerations. I have
therefore decided to devote my address to that
important topic, knowing that the Kingdom of
Morocco’s standpoint regarding other items on
the session’s agenda will be presented during the
General Assembly committee meetings or at the
ministerial meetings, which will be held on the
sidelines of the General Assembly.
“Achieving sustainable development is one of
the pressing challenges facing humankind. It is
particularly important, in that respect, to strike a
balance between the requirements for economic
and social progress and the protection of the
environment, on the one hand, and the safeguard
of the rights of future generations, on the other.
Aware of those critical challenges, we have sought
to set up a distinctive development model rooted
in the culture and in the specific national values of
the Moroccan people — a model which also takes
into account the need for positive interaction with
international principles and objectives in that area.
“Morocco has therefore managed to develop
a pioneering national initiative for human
development, together with ambitious programmes
in the field of renewable energy — especially solar
and wind power generation — which are a key
component of sustainable development. However,
I am not here today to discuss my country’s
experience or our achievements. I am here to make
an appeal for developing countries to be treated
fairly, especially in Africa, and for the development
issue to be addressed objectively.
“As the Assembly knows, sustainable
development is not something that can be achieved
through decisions and ready-made prescriptions,
nor is there a single model in that area. Indeed,
every country follows a path of its own, taking into
consideration its historical development, cultural
heritage, human and natural resources, specific
political circumstances, as well as its economic
choices and the obstacles and challenges facing
it. What applies to the West should not be used as
the sole criterion for determining the efficiency of
other development models; nor should one make
comparisons between countries, however similar
their circumstances may be, even when those
countries belong to the same geographical area.
“As a result, the first call I should like to
make from the rostrum regards the need to respect
the characteristic values and principles of every
country as it builds its own development model.
That is particularly true for the developing countries
that are still suffering from the consequences of
colonialism. Colonialism caused severe damage to
colonized countries. For many years, it hindered
their development process, exploited their resources,
as well as the energies of their sons and daughters,
brought about profound change in the customs
and cultures of the peoples concerned and sowed
the seeds not only of division between members
of the same community, but also of conflict and
discord between neighbouring countries. Although
many years have passed, the colonizers bear a
historical responsibility for the tough — and at
times tragic — circumstances experienced by
some countries of the South, particularly in Africa.
Today, given the adverse consequences suffered,
former colonial Powers have no right to ask the
countries of the South to introduce radical change
rapidly, on the basis of a frame of reference with
which they are unfamiliar, be it in terms of their
cultures, their principles or their values. It is as if
no development were possible other than through a
single model: that of the West.
“I now turn to the second appeal I would
like to make to the international community. We
need more realism and wisdom when dealing
with those countries. There should also be greater
consideration for their circumstances and the
paths they choose to achieve democracy and
development. Some Western countries — which
asked for no one’s authorization to colonize
countries of the South — instead of currently
providing the necessary assistance to the people of
those countries, continue to impose on them harsh
conditions, thereby hampering their ability to make
progress. Furthermore, all Western countries and
their affiliated institutions do is give lessons, and,
at best, a few pieces of advice. As for support, it
is very limited and is always conditional. What is
more, they ask the countries of the South to achieve
stability and development within a very short time
frame and according to imposed conditions, without
taking into account those countries’ development
processes or their specific national circumstances.
“There can be no stability without
development. By the same token, development
cannot be achieved without stability. Both hinge
on respect for the sovereignty of States, their
territorial integrity, culture and customs, as well as
on a dignified life for all their citizens. Moreover,
the rating and classification of those countries,
according to current standards, raises a number of
questions. The rating process has not only shown
its limitations, but also how far removed it is from
the reality of the countries of the South and how
incapable it is of giving an objective account of
the level of human development achieved by those
countries. As inadequate as it unfortunately is, the
aid granted is often based on those ratings and their
quasi-impossible conditions. We therefore appeal
for intangible capital to be one of the primary criteria
for measuring wealth and rating nations. As clearly
shown by World Bank studies, intangible capital
takes into consideration a series of factors related
to the living conditions of the population, such as
security, stability, human resources, institutional
development and the quality of life and of the
environment, all of which are elements that have
a major impact on crafting public policies. The
evolution of those countries should not be governed
by any rating or classification; instead, it should be
viewed as a historical process based on the positive
experiences of each country. Similarly, every
country’s characteristics should be respected.
“The reference to the negative impact of
colonialism does not mean we wish to put any party
in the dock of a law court. It is simply an earnest
appeal for justice for the countries of the South and
a reconsideration of the way they are dealt with and
supported in their gradual march towards progress.
In my address in Abidjan, in February, I insisted on
the fact that Africa did not need humanitarian aid as
much as it needed mutually beneficial partnerships.
I also stressed that Africa needed to turn the page
on its past and overcome its political, economic
and social problems — that it needed to rely on its
own resources to achieve its development. That is
exactly what Morocco has sought to accomplish
through a series of important agreements signed
with a number of African sister nations. In that
respect, I wish to mention in particular the strategic
agreement signed with Gabon for the production
of fertilizers for African markets in order to
contribute to development and food security on the
African continent, which is home to a staggering
60 per cent of the world’s unexploited land. That is
an outstanding model of South-South cooperation
that reflects our capacity as African countries to
develop the continent by relying on ourselves and
investing in the natural resources of our countries.
“As the Assembly knows, achieving
development does not hinge merely on a set of
projects and on funding; nor is underdevelopment
synonymous with the countries of the South. Indeed,
the problem has nothing to do with Africans’
attributes and skills. Africans have proved their
ability to produce and create whenever the right
conditions are met, and whenever they are able to rid
themselves of the oppressive legacy of colonialism.
Similarly, development in Africa has little to do
with the nature of the land or the weather, as harsh
as they may be in some parts of the continent. It
is more closely related to a deep-rooted economic
dependence, a lack of support and funding and
the absence of a sustainable development model.
As a result, providing aid to those countries is not
an option or an act of generosity so much as it is
a necessity and a duty. What States really need,
though, is fruitful cooperation, grounded in mutual
respect, so that they can create the right conditions,
in theory and in practice, to move on to the next
stage of the process of promoting both democracy
and development, without any interference by
others in their internal affairs. In return, they must
commit to good governance.
“The world stands at a crossroads today. Either
the international community supports developing
countries in their quest to achieve progress and
ensure security and stability, or we shall all face
the consequences of more conflicts and greater
fanaticism, violence and terrorism — all of which
feed on feelings of injustice and exclusion — and no
part of the world will be safe. As people grow more
acutely aware of the cross-border threats posed by
the lack of sustainable and human development,
and as we realize that ours is ultimately a common
destiny, I am sure that eventually there will be a
global awakening regarding the need to work for a
more secure, equitable and humane world.”