UN: Morocco at helm of 6th conference on establishment of a nuclear weapons free-Middle East

The Conference on the Establishment of a Middle East Zone Free of Nuclear Weapons and other Weapons of Mass Destruction has elected, by acclamation, Morocco’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Omar Hilale, President of the 6th Conference on the Establishment of a Middle East Zone Free of Nuclear Weapons and other Weapons of Mass Destruction for the year 2025.

Hilale’s election comes at a pivotal moment in the Conference marked by the sharp escalation of tensions in the Middle East, the proliferation of risks of a full-scale nuclear war, the escalation of the arms race, and the failure to respect commitments made in terms of disarmament and non-proliferation.

The Middle East Conference is held pursuant to a decision of the General Assembly in 2018, and draws its mandate from the resolution on the Middle East adopted by the 1995 Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), which was tasked with reviewing the NPT and the question of its extension. The ultimate objective of this Conference is to negotiate a legally binding treaty eliminating nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction from the Middle East region.

Hilale’s appointment is a testament to the trust that Morocco enjoys within the United Nations, and among the countries of the Middle East in particular. Great expectations are placed on the Moroccan presidency to breathe new and ambitious dynamics, capable of enabling this vital process to carry out its work in a transparent, open, inclusive and action-oriented manner.

Following his election, the diplomat stated that the upcoming sessions of the Middle East Conference represent a glimmer of hope and a new opportunity to continue discussions on many pillars that could accelerate the establishment of a Middle East zone free of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction.

He specified that the commendable efforts of the member and observer states of the Conference must be reinforced by acts of “good faith” aimed at strengthening confidence-building measures and resolving common technical challenges, so that actions are operational and effective, particularly with regard to preserving the gains made and strengthening regional cooperation between member States after the ratification, in the coming years, of the Treaty establishing a Middle East zone free of nuclear-weapons.

The UN Secretary-General, through his spokesperson, congratulated Morocco on its election and wished success to the Kingdom as President of the 6th session of the Conference.

Ambassador Hilale has over 30 years of direct experience within the United Nations. He chaired the First Committee of the General Assembly on Disarmament and International Security in 2021. He chaired the Conference on Disarmament in 2004, in Geneva.

He also represented Morocco on the International Committee of Legal Experts responsible for the implementation of the Convention banning the use of chemical weapons in 1993.