Moroccan Delegation to Second Session of Sixth Legislative Term of PAP Highlights Distinguished Moroccan Experience in Several Areas
As part of their participation in the Second Session of the Sixth Legislative Term of the Pan-African Parliament, held in Midrand, South Africa, on May 8-June2, 2023, under the African Union's Theme for the year 2023: "Accelerating the implementation of AfCFTA," the Moroccan Parliamentary delegation highlighted the outstanding Moroccan experience in several areas covered by the discussions of the Session, particularly combatting climate change, the acceleration of the implementation of the AfCFTA, and consolidating the right of African girls to education after COVID-19. In this regard, the Moroccan delegation, composed of Rep. Laila Dahi (Group of the National Rally of Independents), Rep. Khadija Arouhal (Group of Progress and Socialism), and Rep. Abdessamad Haiker (Parliamentary Caucus of Justice and Development), underscored the resolute African orientation of the Kingdom, its defense of the just causes of African peoples, and its active belief in South-South Cooperation as one of the main levers for advancing development in the Continent and enabling it to have a say at the international scene.
The representatives of the phantom entity tried once again to exploit the space of the Pan-African Parliament to disturb the ordinary course of its proceedings by attempting to include the cause of Moroccan Sahara in several meetings of the Session, whether at the level of plenary sittings or the meetings of the Standing Committees. The goal was to pass some misinformation and false accusations on the artificial conflict, contradicting the historical facts and present reality. The attempts of the foes of our territorial integrity were countered by the delegation of the Moroccan House of Representatives who recalled that the Pan-African Parliament, as a body of the African Union, must respect Resolution 693 adopted in the 31st Summit of the African Union in Nouakchott, stipulating that the United Nations and the African “Troika” mechanism have exclusive competence over the matter and that “Troika” is empowered to consult with the United Nations and support it with a view to finding a sustainable, practical, and consensual solution to the cause of the Moroccan Sahara.
In the same respect, the members of the Moroccan parliamentary delegation reiterated that their non-engagement in the cause of the Moroccan Sahara stems from respect to the resolutions of the African Union and their tenor. They also warned that raising the matter by the foes of our territorial integrity within the meetings of the Pan-African Parliament could negatively impact the credibility of this continental institution and inhibit its functioning. Such actions would also distract the institution from dealing with priority issues for African peoples, particularly economic and human development, achievement of food security, eradicating poverty in the Continent, and other challenges arising in Africa.
It should be noted that the Pan-African Parliament gathers the parliamentarians of the Member States of the African Union. The PAP was created on the basis of the AU’s Constitutive Act and initiated its work officially on March 18, 2004. The jurisdiction of the PAP covers the insurance of the full participation of African people in the Continent’s development and economic complementarity. The institution currently enjoys a consultative status and has supervision over the budget of the African Union.