UN: Morocco Calls for Concerted and Solidarity-Based International Governance of…

In his address, delivered on behalf of the Kingdom during the plenary session of the second International Migration Review Forum (May 5-8), Mr. Ismail Chekkori, Director of Global Issues at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation, and Moroccan Expatriates, urged participants to leverage this significant quadrennial event to strengthen international commitment to the 23 Objectives of the Marrakech Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration.

On this occasion, he recalled the Royal Message addressed to participants at the International Conference for the Adoption of the Marrakech Compact in 2018, in which the Sovereign emphasized that "the Global Compact is not an end in itself. It will be meaningful only if it is effectively implemented".

Mr. Chekkori added that, in strict alignment with High Royal directives, Morocco has maintained its active involvement in the effective implementation of the Compact's objectives.

He further reaffirmed that the approach adopted to achieve this implementation is grounded in "leadership by example" and the sharing of best practices, as articulated within the framework of the Champion Countries Network on Migration- a network Morocco joined and had the honor of chairing in 2023.

The review of the Marrakech Compact, he noted, constitutes for Morocco not merely a procedural or perfunctory exercise, but rather an opportunity to voluntarily present its record of concrete achievements and to outline its additional commitments in preparation for the Compact's next review cycle.

In this regard, Mr. Chekkori presented illustrations of this record, covering key structural areas aimed at establishing a humanist and responsible governance framework-specifically, the humanized management of borders; access to basic services such as healthcare, education, employment, and entrepreneurship; the generation of data and indicators related to migration to facilitate the adoption of policies that are both realistic and forward-looking; and advocacy for a positive narrative surrounding migration as a driver of development for shared benefit.

In this context, he emphasized that this record has enabled the development of over one hundred best practices, which have garnered recognition from international organizations and institutions mandated to address migration issues.

Furthermore, Mr. Chekkori underscored that Morocco, as a country of origin, transit, and destination, remains acutely aware that national measures, regardless of their level of effectiveness, will remain incomplete without sub-regional coordination, continental strategies, and international partnerships.

He affirmed that this very principle constitutes the underlying logic of the African Agenda on Migration, which is championed by His Majesty King Mohammed VI in His capacity as the African Leader on migration issues.

He concluded by highlighting the significance of this review, viewing it as an opportunity to strengthen the international consensus on a solidarity-based governance framework that places the rights of migrants and their communities at the very heart of its objectives.