Morocco/Tangier hosts meeting of the Security Initiative against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction

The meeting of the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) for North Africa opened this Tuesday, December 6, 2022 in Tangier, at the initiative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans Residing Abroad and the Departments of State and Defense of the United States of America.

The objective of organizing this meeting of the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) for North Africa in Morocco is to promote PSI in Africa and to encourage more countries in the region to join the initiative. It will allow member countries to exchange experiences, expertise and best practices, as well as strengthen national capacities and inter-ministerial coordination in the field of non-proliferation.

This regional meeting, which takes place from December 6 to 8, contributes to the strengthening of bilateral, regional and multilateral cooperation, in accordance with Resolution 1540 (2004) of the United Nations Security Council, to prevent the acquisition of weapons of mass destruction by non-state actors and terrorist groups.

Speaking at the opening of this event, the Director of the United Nations and international organizations in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans living abroad, Redouane Houssaini, stressed the symbolism of holding this important meeting in Tangier, a city emblematic of the bicentennial relations of Morocco and the United States of America and the dynamics of the partnership between the two countries, to which King Mohammed VI pays particular attention.

The official also highlighted the unique geographical position of Tangier, which gives this meeting a Mediterranean and Atlantic scope, which will come to the forefront of the international community.The official also highlighted the unique geographical position of Tangier, which gives this meeting a Mediterranean and Atlantic scope, which will catalyze regional cooperation on non-proliferation in the Mediterranean basin and the African Atlantic coast.

In this regard, Redouane Houssaini called for refocusing the efforts of the international community on non-proliferation in the Mediterranean, a strategic trade hub, recalling the unique characteristics of this area, namely the deep links between the challenges of terrorism, separatism, and terrorism.He recalled the unique characteristics of this area, namely the deep links between the challenges of terrorism, separatism and the risks of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction to non-state actors, the connections with the security threats of the Sahel and the African Atlantic coastline and the political obstacles to a genuine sub-regional cooperation in North Africa.

He said that Morocco remains committed to the strategic objectives of strengthening African national capacities and regional and sub-regional cooperation, to address the challenge of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, following a pragmatic and results-based approach.

For his part, the Director of the Office of Counterproliferation Initiatives in the U.S. Department of State, Thomas W. Zarzecki, emphasized the leadership of Morocco in the framework of the PSI, praising the efforts made by the Kingdom to promote the principles of the Initiative in Africa.

The senior U.S. official stressed that Morocco and the United States of America share the same vision for strengthening their cooperation, aiming to expand the membership of this initiative, expressing the willingness of the U.S. side to continue to share its expertise and experience in the field of the Initiative.rican side to continue to share its expertise with the Moroccan security departments, with the aim of addressing conventional and emerging security threats in the Mediterranean and on the African Atlantic coast.

Officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans Living Abroad and the U.S. State Department pledged to work towards the 20th anniversary of the Proliferation Security Initiative, to strengthen their cooperation and promote the Initiative among African countries.

The organization of this regional meeting by the Kingdom of Morocco is part of the implementation of the terms of the Strategic Dialogue between Morocco and the United States of America in its security component.

More than sixty participants are taking part in this regional meeting, including high-level experts representing the various Moroccan and American departments concerned with the fight against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, andMore than sixty participants are taking part in this regional meeting, including high-level experts representing the various Moroccan and American departments involved in the fight against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and high-level experts from African countries, including Angola, Kenya, Mauritania, Djibouti and Cameroon, as well as from European countries, including France, Italy, Spain and Greece.

The Moroccan national departments taking part in this meeting are the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans Resident Abroad, the Royal Armed Forces and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.The Moroccan national departments taking part in this meeting are the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans Residing Abroad, the Royal Armed Forces, the Royal Navy, the National Defense Administration, the Royal Gendarmerie, the Ministry of the Interior, the General Directorate of National Security, the General Directorate for the Protection of the Environment, the General Directorate for the Protection of the Environment, and the General Directorate for the Protection of the Environment. the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, the Customs and Excise Administration, the National Financial the Moroccan Agency for Nuclear and Radiological Safety and Security and the National Center for Nuclear Energy, Science and Technology.

The Proliferation Security Initiative is a voluntary multilateral cooperation framework launched in 2003 with the adoption of the "Paris Principles", also known as the "Interdiction Principles" and involving 105 participating countries.

The objective of this initiative, which Morocco joined in 2008, is to strengthen cooperation between participants through operational measures to combat the illicit transport of weapons of mass destruction, their delivery systems and related materials.

Source: m.le360.ma