Mr. Bourita added, in a speech read by the Ambassador, Director General at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans living abroad, Fouad Yazourh, on the occasion of the 39th Ministerial Conference of La Francophonie, that instability and insecurity in the Francophone region continue to be a source of concern.

The minister noted that the factors of instability and conflicts are still present in the Francophone space - and more precisely in the African continent.

"Too often still, terrorism, political crises, foreign interventionism, economic vulnerabilities and climate change mix in an explosive mixture", he explained, adding that insecurity and instability strike and weaken the flagship countries of la Francophonie (Lebanon, Mali, Guinea, Haiti, Chad, Burkina) and challenge the strategy of Stability through Democracy - dear to the OIF, which underscores the relevance of the security-development nexus.

Morocco, under the leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, is sparing no effort to contribute to regional and international stability and security., he pointed out.

"It is to this end that the Kingdom has dedicated the mandates it has assured within the Peace and Security Council of the AU, the UN Peacebuilding Commission; or the country configuration for stabilization in the Central African Republic, which he has chaired since 2014," he recalled.

Mr. Bourita underlined that Morocco remains, also, engaged as a leading actor in peacekeeping operations, especially in the French-speaking area, adding that the Kingdom will organize, with France and the UN, the 2nd Ministerial Conference on the UN and the Maintenance of Peace in the Francophone Environment, as soon as the health situation improves.

The Minister also noted that at a time when asymmetric threats replace the State as the capital to be preserved in the face of the resurgence of threats of instability, the Covid-19 comes as a brutal reminder that security is first and foremost human and that the threat can even less be won with dispersed ranks.

It also recalls, he added, the glaring lack of vaccines in Africa - where less than 10% of the population has been vaccinated - and unequal access to the vaccine.

In this regard, Mr. Bourita stressed that Morocco, which has sent medical aid to more than twenty brotherly and friendly countries to help them in the fight against the pandemic, has been appointed as Chairman of the group of friends created at the initiative of the UN Secretary General for the vaccination of troops deployed in Peacekeeping Operations.

He noted that the Kingdom has also launched an ambitious project aimed at producing Covid-19 vaccines, noting that this structuring project goes beyond the strengthening of the health sovereignty of Morocco to contribute to health security, especially within the African francophone space.

In addition, Mr. Bourita said that this 39th Ministerial Conference of the Francophonie is a privileged moment of debate, sharing, reflection and orientation for the themes of common interest of the Francophone space, before paying tribute to the Secretary General of the OIF, Ms. Louise Mushikiwabo, for her action at the head of the Organization.

"The excellent report presented on the intense activity of La Francophonie, carried out throughout the year, at the political, diplomatic, economic and organizational levels, despite the continuing pandemic context, is an illustration of this", he noted.

Mr. Bourita stressed that Morocco welcomes the adoption of the new digital strategy of the Francophonie "2022-2026", to the development of which the Kingdom has actively contributed. "This, especially since it directly joins the New Development Model in Morocco, which makes digital technology an engine of growth and development," he said.

"On the budgetary level, we support the draft resolutions to this effect and welcome the spirit of solidarity involving the non-application of the 1.5% indexation rate on statutory contributions for 2022 in order to take into account the health and economic crisis," said the minister.

Mr. Bourita concluded by reiterating Morocco's commitment and mobilization, "as we celebrate Human Rights Day today, to give a stronger meaning to the Organization's motto: Equality , Complementarity, Solidarity".

Chaired by Tunisia, the 39th session of the Ministerial Conference of La Francophonie was attended by OIF Secretary General, Ms. Louise Mushikiwabo, and representatives of the ministries of foreign affairs of member countries of the organization.

During this session, several resolutions and structuring projects were adopted by the ministers of OIF member countries, including the new digital Francophonie strategy 2022-2026, to which Morocco has actively contributed.