In his statement, Mr. Bourita first recalled that this National Action Plan is part of the Royal Project for the promotion of gender equality as a basis for a just, democratic and egalitarian society.

In this respect, he quoted His Majesty King Mohammed VI: "The issue requires, without doubt, a global renewal, through a profound transformation of archaic mentalities and collective consciousness. It requires to leave to the woman the faculty to insert itself in all the wheels of nation's life."

The Minister stressed that "the presentation of this Plan is not an exercise in formalism, but on the contrary a concrete manifestation of the will of Morocco's commitment to gender equality as well as its conviction that the Women, Peace and Security agenda is an essential component of maintaining international peace and security."

Mr. Bourita emphasized the paradigm shift brought about by the Women, Peace and Security agenda, making women "agents of change and equal partners in the decision-making process".

"The Women, Peace and Security agenda has a transformative potential, as it recognizes that development cannot be sustainable if it is not inclusive; that peace cannot be achieved if it does not involve women; and that security cannot be complete if it does not take into account the needs of women and girls, especially the most vulnerable," he added.

Mr. Bourita also stressed that "Morocco's efforts to achieve the objectives of the Women, Peace and Security agenda are part of its efforts to promote a multilateralism based on action, which is not limited to mere declarations of intent, but which translates into concrete initiatives to meet the needs of the most vulnerable".

In this context, the Minister recalled the awareness of the international community of the importance of this agenda, as evidenced by the Action for Peacekeeping Initiative carried by the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, which gives it a central place.

However, the Minister noted that "the gap is growing between words and deeds", stressing that "we still live in a world where women are more than ever affected by humanitarian crises and armed conflicts".

"For Morocco, the roadmap for the implementation of the Women, Peace and Security agenda should be guided by the evolution of current threats to international peace and security," citing as practical measures the improvement of international and regional cooperation in capacity building and training of women in the areas of preventive diplomacy, mediation, peacekeeping and prevention of violent extremism, as well as the establishment of synergies between this agenda, the normative framework of human rights, and the Sustainable Development Goals.

The Minister emphasized that the Kingdom has adopted the principles of inclusiveness, innovation, and a holistic approach in the development of its National Action Plan, which includes concrete commitments in the areas of preventive diplomacy and peacekeeping, the promotion of a culture of peace, and the empowerment of women.

Morocco remains committed to working with the UN and its member states to advance the implementation of the Women, Peace and Security agenda, within the framework of its National Action Plan, the Minister concluded.

The meeting was also attended by the Foreign Ministers of Gabon, Ghana, Norway, non-permanent members of the Security Council, Colombia, as well as the Executive Director of UN Women and the Special Envoy of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission on Women, Peace and Security. The senior officials welcomed the adoption of the National Action Plan of Morocco, a country known for its commitment to multilateralism and the centrality of the UN.

Morocco's Ambassador, Permanent Representative to the UN in New York, Omar Hilale, also took part in the meeting.

The official presentation, pursuant to UN Security Council Resolution 1325, of the Kingdom of Morocco's first National Action Plan caps a consultative process which had begun in June 2019, led by an Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee comprising the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation, and Moroccans Abroad, the Ministry of the Interior, the National Defense Administration, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs, the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, the Ministry of Solidarity, Social Integration, and the Family, the Interministerial Delegation for Human Rights, and the National Commission on International Humanitarian Law.

The process of elaborating the Plan was conducted in collaboration with the Rabat Office of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women).