Mr. Bourita and Ms. Fustier signed, on Monday in Rabat, the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) 2023-2027. This UNSDCF represents the reference instrument for planning and monitoring the implementation of United Nations activities in Morocco, in order to achieve the 2030 Development Agenda.

Developed jointly by the Moroccan government and the United Nations Development System, the UNSDCF 2023-2027 is the result of consultations conducted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates and the Office of the Resident Coordinator with ministerial departments and national institutions, civil society, the private sector, academia, social partners and the Kingdom's technical and financial partners.

This document presents the priorities and strategic interventions of the UN agencies and entities, jointly agreed with the Moroccan government, in support of national policies and initiatives of the above-mentioned partners.

This Cooperation Framework was conceived in a context marked by the desire to rethink the Moroccan development model, under the impetus of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, particularly in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic and its economic and social repercussions.

The four strategic orientations that emerged are characterized by their alignment with the transformation goals of the New Development Model, as well as by the imperative to build back better, leaving no one behind.

This signing ceremony marks the effective entry into force of the fifth five-year development cooperation cycle between the Government of Morocco and the United Nations System.

This step paves the way for the implementation of the Cooperation Framework, through its activities of resource mobilization, implementation, monitoring and assessment of planned programs.

The ceremony was attended by representatives of institutions and organizations that participated in the national workshop for the preparation of the SDCF (November-December 2021), namely ministerial departments and other national institutions, the private sector and civil society.

On the occasion of this signing ceremony, Mr. Bourita delivered a speech in which he stressed that the new United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) for the period 2023-2027 is an ambitious program in line with national development priorities, and that it is perfectly aligned with the axes and goals of the New Development Model desired by His Majesty the King and the development sectoral strategies and programs.

This new Framework "reflects Morocco’s willingness to implement its international commitments as reflected in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development," Mr. Bourita said, noting that it rightly reserves an important place to areas where an additional effort is needed to meet the challenges of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Noting that Morocco is on the right track to achieve these SDGs, the Minister said that this Framework is part of the new generation of cooperation instruments resulting from the reform of the United Nations development system, adding that it represents the culmination of a process of dialogue and transparent and inclusive preparation in which all components of the UN development system, the various ministerial departments, national institutions concerned and civil society have been involved, on the common action priorities.

Morocco, in accordance with the High Instructions of HM the King, is ready to share its experiences but also to learn from best practices, Bourita added, considering that through its global network, the UN System can be a facilitator and a companion.

The signing of this new Framework marks the official launch of a new stage in the partnership between Morocco and the United Nations Development System, the Minister said, indicating that it offers the opportunity to further deepen cooperation between the Kingdom and the UN System for Development and contribute to Morocco's development by adapting to new and emerging issues.

He noted, in this sense, that the new Cooperation Framework represents a common roadmap, framing the UN support for Morocco's development efforts, specifying that if the preparation of this Framework was part of an inclusive and participatory approach, its implementation and evaluation require the same requirements in terms of inclusiveness, transparency and commitment.

Regarding the achievement of the new Cooperation Framework goals, Bourita mentioned some prerequisites, including the commitment of all to reposition the action of the UN team to provide targeted and appropriate support, in a partnership framework based on consultation and transparency, in close coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, in its capacity as National Coordinator with the UN System.

He also emphasized the search for added value in terms of innovation, cooperation projects that are promising, innovative, systemic and have a visible and palpable impact, giving the example of the experience of UNDP Accelerator Labs, the aim being to promote new approaches to propose innovative solutions that correspond to the complexity of development challenges.

The Minister also stressed the importance of mobilizing multi-stakeholder and multi-sector partnerships, emphasizing the need to take concrete steps to promote promising partnerships with achievable and measurable goals.

He also highlighted the need to invest in South-South and triangular cooperation as a strategic priority, in support of regional integration and development in Africa, noting that Morocco has developed a cooperation policy focused on large-scale structuring projects, generating wealth, growth and having a positive impact on stability and peace in the continent.

Recalling that this Cooperation Framework, prepared in a context of poly-crisis that has impacted Morocco like all countries, must serve as a unifying instrument to mobilize several actors in support of response and recovery policies of the government, Bourita stressed the centrality of a better repositioning of the country team to be able to support the path of emergence that Morocco has chosen to take by new ideas and innovative projects. "The relevance of the action of UN agencies in development depends greatly," he concluded.