Faced with the COVID-19 pandemic, His Majesty King Mohammed VI has placed mobilization and solidarity action as a prerequisite to overcome the challenges of the continent, Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, Mr. Nasser Bourita, said on Saturday, February,6, 2021.
Speaking at 34th Ordinary Session of the African Union (AU) Assembly, which is held by videoconference, Mr. Bourita said that while some were announcing, from the start of the pandemic, a disaster scenario for Africa, our continent has succeeded in confounding the worst forecasts.
“Our continent has shown its tenacity, it has shown consistency in the management of the pandemic without ever skimping on efforts or losing sight of the path to emergence”, the Minister pointed out. “The Kingdom of Morocco, in accordance with the vision of His Majesty the King, is convinced that in order to strengthen African resilience against pandemics and to promote economic recovery, three fields of action of paramount importance for our Continent deserve the full consideration of this Assembly”, Mr. Bourita said.
This is first of all the design of economic recovery plans and innovative post-Covid sectoral strategies for an inclusive economy and sustainable economic and human development, he explained, noting, in this regard, that Morocco is ready to share the elements of its response plan to the pandemic.
Then, social assistance as access to health care and vaccination must be granted to citizens, migrants and refugees, Mr. Bourita said, stressing that this is the choice made by Morocco under the enlightened leadership of the Sovereign to allow foreigners living in the Kingdom, particularly Africans, to benefit from vaccination and health care.
This decision is in harmony with the Kingdom’s national immigration and asylum strategy and which stems from the Leadership of His Majesty the King in migration issues in the continent, explained Mr. Bourita, adding that the Kingdom was the first African country to launch a large vaccination campaign that has benefited 400,000 people to date.
Finally, regional integration in its political, economic and social dimensions, through the strengthening of South-South cooperation and co-development, must be based on complementarity and active solidarity said the Minister, who underlined the need to strengthen the role of the 8 Regional Economic Communities as pillars of continental integration in the development and implementation of the strategy.
This pandemic, said Mr. Bourita, has demonstrated more than ever that mobilization and joint action are key prerequisites to overcome the multiple challenges of the continent and to achieve the ultimate objective of “Africa that we want”, in accordance with the vision of His Majesty the King.
It is in this regard that the initiative of His Majesty King Mohammed VI to provide medical aid to 21 African countries was carried out, the Minister recalled.
Mr. Bourita extended the warm congratulations of His Majesty King Mohammed VI to the President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mr. Félix Tshisekedi, following his accession to the Presidency of the AU, reiterating the full support of the Sovereign to ensure the success of Mr. Tshisekedi in his functions at the head of the AU in the service of the causes of our continent in a difficult context.
The Minister also expressed the gratitude of the Kingdom of Morocco to the President of the AU Commission, Mr. Moussa Faki and to the Commissioner Ms. Amira Al Fadel for their efforts in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.