Moroccan diplomacy: multilateralism, solidarity and South-South cooperation

1. Multilateralism, solidarity and South-South cooperation
2. Human rights as the basis for development and dignity
3. Peace and security: an essential condition for the development of nations

During the MD Sahara 2025 Forum in Dakhla, Omar Hilale explained that the Kingdom's diplomatic action is not merely symbolic, but rather a strategic pillar for the Kingdom's development and international influence. 

Moroccan diplomacy is a diplomacy of action based on consistent principles and concretised in initiatives in the economic, humanitarian, social, environmental, cultural, spiritual and institutional fields. It is based on three pillars: development, human rights, and peace and security, guided by an operational compass that reflects the consistency between the principles proclaimed and the actions taken.

According to Hilale, Morocco is not content with merely adhering to the principles of the United Nations, but translates them into concrete initiatives and sustainable programmes in favour of African and developing countries. 

Multilateralism, solidarity and South-South cooperation

Omar Hilale stated that the Moroccan kingdom, under the guidance of King Mohammed VI, advocates concrete multilateralism. This is a form of multilateralism that is not limited to proclaiming values and adhering to principles, but puts them into practice by creating solutions, strengthening cooperation and participating in the construction of a more just, more supportive and sustainable international order.

Within the framework of South-South cooperation, the North African country is weaving a network of skills transfer that honours the collective intelligence of the South, through the training of executives in African institutions, the deployment of Moroccan experts to African national projects and the creation of technical and scientific partnerships.

In this sense, Morocco offers a sustainable investment in African human capital, based on the conviction that knowledge, exchange and solidarity are the most powerful tools for building a sovereign, innovative and future-oriented Africa. In this way, the Moroccan kingdom chooses how multilateralism should always be the workshop where international justice is discussed and developing countries are recognised.

In fact, Morocco defends the role of middle-income countries and advocates for the recognition of a reality experienced by millions of human beings in Africa. ‘It is not enough to speak for Africa; we must allow Africa to speak with one voice,’ Hilale said. 

Human rights as the basis for development and dignity

Morocco's permanent representative to the United Nations maintained that Moroccan diplomacy is based on the deep conviction that development is the lever for collective emancipation and the true engine of national stability, demonstration and regional and international cooperation. 

At the same time, human rights are, for the North African country, the foundation of any society that aspires to prosperity and equality. In this context, the 2011 Constitution makes human rights a strategic necessity and a collective imperative. 

‘This consistency is deployed in Africa through a multidimensional human rights diplomacy that combines humanitarian action, institutional cooperation, knowledge sharing, the promotion of spiritual dialogue and a commitment to security,’ explained Omar Hilale.

Thanks to the instructions of King Mohammed VI, defender of the African Union on migration issues, Morocco has built since 2013 one of the most progressive migration practices in Africa, abandoning the logic of security to adopt a humanitarian, solidarity-based and inclusive approach," added Hilale, pointing out that more than 50,000 African migrants obtained legal status during the 2014-2017 regularisation campaigns, guaranteeing them access to health, education and work.

The African Observatory on Migrants and Migration, created in Rabat in 2018 under the auspices of the African Union, institutionalises the vision of concrete and human rights-friendly management, accompanied by integration programmes covering language learning, professional integration and cultural awareness.

According to Omar Hilale's speech on 15 November at the MD Sahara 2025 Forum held in Dakhla, Morocco is considered a continental reference thanks to the Equity and Reconciliation instance. Considering traditional justice as an instrument of cooperation, the National Human Rights Council has established partnerships with institutions in Mali, Senegal, Niger, Ivory Coast, Rwanda, Mauritania and many others.

This initiative has enabled the transfer of methodologies, tools, research, and procedures for reparation and reconciliation doctrines, accompanied by bilateral agreements and judicial, police, and legal assistance to combat human trafficking, corruption, human rights violations, and organised crime.

In the religious field, Morocco plays the role of a pole of stability and religious moderation, training a hundred African religious leaders every year, from Mali to Senegal, Nigeria, Niger, Ivory Coast, Chad, Guinea and Gambia. 

Peace and security: an essential condition for the development of nations

In terms of peace and security, Moroccan diplomacy is distinguished by its willingness to address security challenges holistically, recognising that terrorism, transnational trafficking, armed conflict, humanitarian crises and environmental degradation are not isolated phenomena, but interconnected manifestations of profound fragility.

This systemic approach has led Morocco to redefine the very concept of security, moving away from an exclusively military logic to broaden it to include food, energy, climate and human dimensions. In fact, whenever a crisis has occurred, the Kingdom has been present.

In this vein, Hilale gave the example of 1960, when the Moroccan kingdom was among the first African countries to participate in peace operations in the Democratic Republic of Congo. "Since then, our commitment has never wavered. We have deployed in Angola, Somalia, Côte d'Ivoire, Bosnia-Herzegovina, the Central African Republic, Somalia and many other countries," added Omar Hilale.

With great courage, solidarity and dedication to the cause of peace, Morocco is not only a provider of blue helmets, but also holds positions of responsibility at the highest level of the UN chain of command and in the architecture of international peace, through Moroccan personalities who embody this experience in the service of peace, such as Najat Rochdi, Deputy Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General in Syria and the Central African Republic, who attests to the international recognition of Morocco's experience in mediation and peacebuilding.

Bolstered by this experience and tangible results, Morocco currently holds the presidency of the PBC, the Peacebuilding Commission, which is the fourth most important body in the UN architecture. 

"Peace is not the absence of war, but the presence of justice, dignity, respect for human rights, good governance and opportunities for all. It is this conviction that drives every key initiative, every diplomat employed, every contribution from the media and businesses, every development project supported. It is what makes the Kingdom a credible partner and an indispensable actor for peace, both internally and in the rest of the world," concluded Omar Hilale.