Morocco, represented by Leila Benali, Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, was elected to the presidency of UNEA-6 after its designation, on Monday, following a majority vote reflecting broad support within the African group, as the representative of the Continent to this prestigious post, under the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the highest authority on environmental matters in the UN system.

The Kingdom will assume for the first time the presidency of this important body, which is the most important high-level global forum on the environment in the world, and whose mission is to discuss and make global commitments for environmental protection.

In a statement on this occasion, Benali expressed her thanks to the various countries for the confidence placed in the candidacy of Morocco, saying she was honored to assume this responsibility.

It is an honor for Morocco and for all of Africa, she said, addressing, by the same token, her congratulations to the President of UNEA-5, Espen Barth Eide, Minister of Climate and Environment of Norway, for his leadership and his role in advancing discussions on all issues raised in the framework of the Assembly's Agenda.

Highlighting the current juncture marked by an environmental crisis, Minister Benali noted that the threshold of irreversibility will soon be passed in the absence of immediate action.

"In a spirit of continuity and efficiency, we want to consolidate the achievements of our predecessors and accelerate the implementation of resolutions already adopted. We want to contribute effectively to the achievement of the sustainable development goals agreed upon years ago," she said.

She also insisted on the imperative of translating the resolutions into concrete actions, starting with those related to plastic pollution and chemical products and wastes, believing that the solutions advocated must be felt by the citizens of the world, as their right to a sustainable environment.

The government official also affirmed her determination to spare no effort and work with all regions, in order to consolidate the authority of UNEA as an institution setting the global environmental agenda.

"In addition to efficiency, the key to our success lies in the partnerships we will succeed in forging between governments, the private sector and civil society," the Minister continued, stressing the importance of multilateral cooperation and international solidarity in the fight against environmental challenges.

With its accumulated leadership in environmental protection and its ambitious initiatives driven by the enlightened vision of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, Morocco has gained the confidence of the international community. The success of Morocco's candidacy is the crowning achievement of its constant commitment and its irreversible choice in terms of environmental protection and sustainable development at the national level, and also enshrines its role in the implementation of initiatives for the African continent.

This election also marks the undeniable recognition and clear support of the international community for the Kingdom's commitment to environmental issues.

This new success reaffirms the credibility enjoyed by the Kingdom to continue to carry the voice of Africa within international bodies for a collective, just and united action.

It is a continuation of Morocco's long-standing commitment, which has been put into practice through several initiatives, in particular those that crowned the first African Summit on Action for Continental Co-Emergence, organized at the initiative of HM the King on the sidelines of COP22 in Marrakech.

Morocco's achievement , which is the result of an intense diplomatic mobilization, reinforces the strategy of the Kingdom to ensure greater visibility and an influential presence on the international scene, in accordance with the High Royal Directions.