Morocco’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office in Geneva, Ambassador Omar Zniber, reaffirmed Tuesday the Kingdom’s steadfast commitment to multilateralism at a time when this cornerstone of international cooperation is being tested by increasingly complex and evolving global challenges. Opening the first plenary session of the Conference on Disarmament (CD) under Morocco’s presidency, Zniber stressed that “flexibility, constructive engagement, and genuine political will are indispensable conditions for enabling this Conference to effectively fulfill its mandate.” “In a rapidly changing international environment, only a spirit of compromise and shared responsibility will allow us to move forward collectively,” he said.
The diplomat underscored that Morocco, guided by the principles of moderation, openness, and inclusivity, stands ready to support all initiatives aimed at building consensus among Member States. “We are fully determined to strengthen both the Conference itself and its essential contribution to international peace and security,” he added, emphasizing that “dialogue must remain our primary instrument.” Zniber also pledged to back efforts to revitalize the Conference’s work and restore its capacity to deliver tangible outcomes, describing the current state of institutional paralysis as untenable.
“A body created to negotiate cannot limit itself to debate in the long term,” the diplomat argued, warning of a deterioration in the strategic environment with the modernization of nuclear arsenals, a shift in doctrines towards greater ambiguity and risk, and the weakening of arms control mechanisms. These trends, he noted, mean that “the nuclear risk, which we once believed contained, is reemerging as a strategic reality.”
Such developments weaken trust, fuel competition, and narrow the space for dialogue, he cautioned, reiterating that “nuclear disarmament must remain the absolute priority.” “As long as nuclear weapons exist, the risk of their use persists. Their total, irreversible, and verifiable elimination remains the only safeguard against this existential threat,” the diplomat stated. Morocco is holding until March 13 the presidency of the CD, the UN’s only multilateral body responsible for negotiating disarmament treaties.
Omar Zniber is taking the presidency of the Conference on Disarmament (CD), the UN only multilateral body responsible for negotiating disarmament treaties, until March 13.
This presidency underscores Morocco’s role as a credible and committed actor in multilateralism, dialogue, and collective security. It reflects the Kingdom’s ongoing dedication to a world based on law, cooperation, and joint solutions to shared challenges.
Morocco’s diplomacy asserts itself as a proactive player in international and multilateral efforts toward disarmament. Through sustained engagement, Morocco works to make disarmament not only a strategic priority but also a central element of the agenda of international bodies, particularly the United Nations.
The CD opens this year in a challenging geopolitical context. Rising international tensions, deepening divisions among member states, the gradual erosion of confidence-building measures, and ongoing arms developments all weaken the very foundations of the collective security system.
In this context, Morocco’s CD presidency is crucial. Its goal is to unite efforts, restore trust, and promote constructive dialogue, the only path that will enable the Conference to fully fulfill its mandate. Now more than ever, it is imperative that the body regain its capacity for initiative and negotiation to provide concrete responses to the many threats facing international peace and security.
A highlight of Morocco’s presidency will be the High-Level Ministerial Segment, taking place from February 23 to 25 under the Kingdom’s chairmanship. This high-profile event will gather around 40 distinguished figures, including numerous FMs and the UN Secretary-General, showcasing Morocco’s commitment and the importance it places on revitalizing multilateral dialogue and action on disarmament.
