From Amman.. Bensaid highlights Morocco’s efforts in the field of advancing youth issues

Heba Press

Today, Wednesday in Amman, the Minister of Youth, Culture and Communication, Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid, highlighted the continued efforts of Morocco, under the leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, in the field of advancing the issues and condition of youth.

Mr. Bensaid explained, in a speech delivered during the extraordinary session of the Council of Ministers of Youth and Sports of the League of Arab States, devoted to the examination of the Arab strategy for youth, peace and security, that Morocco, in implementation of the High Royal Directives, has launched a number of programs and projects that concern young people, meet their needs and integrate them into the path of local development.

In this regard, he mentioned, in particular, the “Youth Passport” program, which allows Moroccan youth to benefit from sports, cultural and recreational services, and the “Volunteering” program, which allows young people to enter practical life and take on challenges, as well as the Morocco Youth Prize “as part of establishing a culture of recognition”, in addition to other projects such as “Forsa” and workshops for the economic empowerment of young people, and giving them leadership in the world of entrepreneurship.

On the other hand, Mr. Bensaid considered that the region is currently “witnessing unprecedented geopolitical developments and transformations, which makes it necessary to prioritize the future of youth”, especially those in conflict zones, and at the forefront is the Palestinian youth, given that the Palestinian issue is “the first Arab issue, His Majesty King Mohammed VI, Chairman of the Al-Quds Committee, considers it the first national issue, the issue of the Moroccan Sahara.”

In this context, Mr. Bensaid reiterated Morocco’s position under the leadership of His Majesty the King, “which constitutes a firm, coherent and historic position in favor of the Palestinian cause and the Palestinian people in obtaining their legitimate rights, and Morocco’s adherence to a peace settlement based on the two-state solution for a just and lasting peace in the Middle East region.

He added that His Majesty the King devoted a significant portion of the 2024 Throne Speech to the Palestinian issue, which reflects His Majesty the King’s special interest and personal follow-up to this issue.

The minister stressed that geopolitical developments and the delicate situation in the region require redoubled efforts to protect young people from the dangers of terrorism, extremism and secession, stressing Morocco’s support for the Jordanian initiative on the Arab Strategy for Youth, Peace and Security, calling for the need to set deadlines for its implementation and institutional mechanisms to monitor this implementation.

He also renewed the commitment of the Kingdom of Morocco, under the leadership of His Majesty the King, to be at the heart of Arab action and an effective partnership within the institutions of the League of Arab States, and to welcome the various initiatives that will improve the conditions of youth.

It is worth noting that the work of the extraordinary session of the Council of Ministers of Youth and Sports of the League of Arab States took place on the sidelines of the High-level International Forum on Youth, Peace and Security, which began its work this morning with the participation of Morocco, represented by the Minister of Youth, Culture and Communication, Mr. Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid.

The forum, marked by the presence of Prince Hussein bin Abdullah II, Crown Prince of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, and the participation of a number of Arab ministers of youth and sports, saw the launch of the Arab Strategy for Youth, Peace and Security 2023-2028, which was prepared by a committee led by Jordan, represented by the Ministry of Youth, based on the decision of the Council of Arab Ministers of Youth and Sports.

The forum, organized by the Jordanian Ministry of Youth until tomorrow Thursday, includes dialogue sessions on the mechanisms for promoting and implementing the youth, peace and security agenda and the priorities of member states in developing the executive plan of the strategy.

The forum aims to advance action and empower young people to lead the promotion of peace and security, with a focus on support, cooperation, implementation of strategies and the definition of specific regional priorities.