Morocco condemns weaponization of international maritime routes, calls for global action
via Le Matin3 min read
During a high-level open debate on maritime security, Moroccan Ambassador Omar Hilale condemned the use of international maritime routes as tools for pressure and blackmail. He expressed deep concern over threats to close the Strait of Hormuz, a vital energy artery, stating that no state has the right to hold the world hostage through its maritime passages. Hilale emphasized that seas are a common heritage for humanity, not bargaining chips. He strongly condemned attacks in the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Red Sea by armed groups, calling them flagrant violations of international law and the UN Charter. The Ambassador urged the international community to uphold its historical responsibility, asserting that geography should not be held hostage by ideology, nor maritime routes weaponized by countries that have pursued destabilization and interference for decades. Hilale highlighted that maritime security is a crucial pillar of international peace and security, as over 90% of global trade transits through seas and oceans. He noted Morocco's exceptional geographical position at the crossroads of Africa and Europe, bordering the Strait of Gibraltar, and affirmed the Kingdom's commitment to international law of the sea and its contributions to regional and international maritime security. Hilale also mentioned King Mohammed VI's Atlantic Royal Initiative, which provides Atlantic access to Sahel countries, and the Process of Atlantic African States, which fosters maritime security
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