Forum for the Future examines Middle East peace, economic challenges

2009-11-05

Top government officials from G-8 and MENA states met with other international delegates in Morocco to discuss pressing regional and global issues.

By Hassan Benmehdi for Magharebia in Casablanca – 05/11/09

[Hassan Benmehdi] Moroccan Foreign Minister Taieb Fassi Fihri and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton address the Forum for the Future.

Delegations from G8 and MENA nations, the EU, the Arab League and other international organisations wrapped up the 6th Forum for the Future this week in Morocco by signalling their "firm commitment to achieving a just, lasting and comprehensive peace in the Middle East".

In addition to the Middle East situation, the two day Marrakech event addressed terrorism, peace, education, the environment, development and growth, the promotion of democracy and women's participation in politics.

"The outcomes are extremely positive, due to the attendance of many foreign ministers from the MENA and the G8, and because of the commitments made to promoting development and peace in the world," the secretary-general of Morocco's Ministry of Economic and General Affairs, Youssef Amrani, said during the opening session on Monday (November 2nd).

Amrani said the forum had tackled many new issues, including the creation of businesses to stimulate growth and provide jobs, the involvement of women in the development process, and the role of young people in politics.

Franco Frattini, the foreign minister of Italy, which co-chaired the event with Morocco, said it is high time for greater efforts to be made to tackle the economic and human challenges of the moment.

"Our partnership is crucial and essential if we are to move forward," he said in a speech at the forum." Co-ordination and co-operation are also important for a better partnership between the countries of the Middle East, North Africa and the G8."

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton took advantage of the forum to announce the creation of a global partnership to follow up on the "New Beginning" initiative launched by President Barack Obama in his speech in Cairo on June 4th.

"True progress comes from within a society and cannot be imposed from the outside. We will not focus our energies on one-time projects, but we will seek to work with all of you in government and in civil society to try to address the needs of populations effectively," said Clinton.

Clinton also reiterated Washington's commitment to engaging more closely with Muslim societies, where the US has vowed to pay particular attention to the areas of trade, job creation and education.

For his part, Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa said that the goal of reform in the Arab world was to boost democracy and economies.

"We are all aware of the need to involve citizens in decision-making and of the importance of this measure for development, and that’s where our mission lies," he said.

In a closing statement, the participants expressed their willingness to work together to address the issues of education, the environment, democracy and the promotion of tolerance.

They reaffirmed their commitment to promoting intercultural and interfaith dialogue, spreading a culture of tolerance and encouraging initiatives launched to this end, in particular the Alliance of Civilisations and religious dialogue.

Participants also highlighted the need to respect the cultural diversity of the countries in the region so as to bring about better mutual understanding between nations, respect for others and the rejection of xenophobia and extremism.

The Forum for the Future is a joint initiative by the member states of the G8 and those of the broader MENA community that was launched at the G8 Summit held the US in 2004. During the summit, G8 countries committed to encouraging reforms in the broader MENA region and contributing to the establishment of a framework conducive to informal, flexible, open and global dialogue.

Morocco had previously co-chaired the first Forum for the Future with the US in December 2004 in Rabat.

"The fact that Morocco was chosen to organise the Forum for the Future for a second time is a mark of the esteem in which Morocco is held," said Morocco's foreign minister, Taieb Fassi Fihri. "The country has been going through a reform process for several years."