Rabat hosts high-level ministerial conference on middle-income countries
Rabat is hosting this Feb. 5-6 the high-level ministerial conference on middle-income countries under the theme “Solutions to Address Development Challenges of Middle-Income Countries in a Changing World.”
The conference is attended by 32 countries, including many represented at ministerial level, and 23 United Nations development agencies and other international and regional institutions.
Morocco is hosting this high-level ministerial conference as part of its presidency of the Group of Friends of Middle-Income Countries within the United Nations framework, which it has been holding since 2023, and its continued advocacy of the interests of developing countries, under the far-sighted vision of King Mohammed VI, in favor of an active and supportive multilateralism.
The conference, organized at the initiative of the Foreign Ministry, jointly with the UN Economic Commission for Africa and the UN Development Programme, began its proceedings with a meeting of experts focusing on key themes for middle-income countries, such as South-South and triangular cooperation, climate financing, innovative sources of financing and the middle-income trap.
It provides a further opportunity to deepen the debate on how the United Nations Development System, regional and international institutions and other development partners can support these countries in meeting the challenges of economic and social development.
Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Amina J. Mohammed, who is taking part in the conference said the gathering will promote collective efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and welcomed the fact that “efforts in favor of MICs in the areas of technology and its financing, food systems and energy are being deployed outside the UN headquarters in New York”.
“There is no better host of such an important event than Morocco, which recognizes the key role of MICs as a driver of the success of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030,” she underlined after talks with Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita.
To fulfill this role, numerous investments are necessary for middle-income countries, both in terms of strengthening skills and promoting young populations and women, the UN official she said, stressing the importance of “internationally promoting the concrete discussions held within the framework of this conference.”
The Conference’s Ministerial Segment, scheduled for Tuesday, will address the challenges and opportunities facing middle-income countries and identify new and innovative approaches to give fresh impetus to cooperation with MIC.
Besides scores of Governments’ members, senior representatives of the UN Regional Economic Commissions, including ESCWA Executive Secretary Rola Dashti, ECA Deputy Executive Secretary Hanan Morsy, UNCTAD Deputy Secretary-General, Pedro Manuel Moreno, President of ECOSOC, Paula Narváez Ojeda, are taking part in the conference.
