The President of the United Nations General Assembly, Abdulla Shahid, confirmed today, Friday, that the Kingdom of Morocco is a "firm pioneer" in the field of migration.

 Shahid said, in a recorded speech presented during the first ministerial meeting of the leading countries in implementing the Marrakech Compact for safe, orderly, and regular migration held in Rabat, that the Kingdom plays a "firm pioneering role in the field of migration."

 The President of the United Nations General Assembly called on the leading countries in implementing the Migration Compact to strengthen their cooperation in this field, stressing that the success of the International Organization for Migration largely depends on the level of ambition expressed and sufficient to move forward in the right direction.

 He also pointed out that adopting a comprehensive approach is a fundamental matter in managing the migration issue, highlighting the role of multilateralism in this regard, especially concerning addressing the repercussions of the Coronavirus pandemic.

 On the other hand, Shahid warned that poor management of the migration issue could lead to dire losses, including rising social tensions, emphasizing the need to establish a global migration system to assist the affected communities.

 The ministerial meeting, held both in-person and remotely, witnessed the participation of leading countries in implementing the Global Compact for Migration from various continents, the International Organization for Migration, and the United Nations Network on Migration.

 The meeting, which aims to be a platform for exchange, consultation, and dialogue on progress made, challenges facing countries, and opportunities available to them, also highlighted the commitment of countries to promote strengthening and implementing the Compact.

 It also serves to consolidate the Kingdom of Morocco’s leadership in the field of migration at both the global and continental levels according to the vision of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, the pioneer of the African Union for Migration, which has produced many initiatives such as the African Agenda on Migration, which constitutes a real roadmap for migration management in Africa, and the African Migration Observatory, which was inaugurated in 2020 in Rabat.

 Participating ministers in this meeting reviewed the efforts their countries are making in the field of migration, emphasizing the importance of implementing the Marrakech Compact and coordinating the actions of the leading countries in this Compact in preparation for the first forum to discuss international migration, which will be held in New York from May 17 to 20, 2022.