Morocco’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nasser Bourita, highlighted the country’s achievements and vision in the field of migration during a high-level strategic dialogue held on the sidelines of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.
World leaders have gathered for the 80th UNGA, with the General Debate running from September 23 to 29 under the theme “Better Together: 80 Years and More for Peace, Development and Human Rights.” Marking the UN’s 80th anniversary, the session calls for renewed commitment to multilateralism, solidarity, and collective action to address global challenges.
Speaking at the panel “Migration at a Crossroads: A Strategic Dialogue for a Changing World,” Bourita underlined Morocco’s clear and coherent migration policy, shaped by its designation as the African Union’s Leader on Migration. He recalled key initiatives spearheaded by Morocco, including the African Agenda on Migration — adopted by the AU as a continental framework — and the African Migration Observatory, headquartered in Rabat, which provides crucial data to support evidence-based policymaking.
Bourita reaffirmed Morocco’s commitment to implementing the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, adopted in Marrakech in 2018, and stressed the country’s longstanding partnership with the International Organization for Migration spanning over two decades. He noted Morocco’s unique position as a country of origin, transit, and destination, emphasizing the multifaceted nature of migration and advocating for a solidarity-based approach rooted in shared responsibility and collective solutions.
Citing the Moroccan-Spanish partnership as a model of pragmatic and effective cooperation, Bourita also addressed what he described as the “three paradoxes” of migration: its politicization and reduction to slogans despite migrants’ vital economic and social contributions; the weakness of the multilateral system due to a mismatch between mandates and resources; and the risk of reducing the upcoming review of the Global Compact to a procedural exercise rather than a substantive opportunity for reform.
Calling for action, the Foreign Minister urged participants to avoid superficial debates and instead reinforce credible, effective governance. He proposed enhancing knowledge-sharing through connected observatories, leveraging successful experiences, and mobilizing greater resources. Migration, he said, must be transformed into a lever for dialogue, solidarity, and shared prosperity.