The Speaker of the House of Representatives warns against pinning the problems of the northern countries on the issue of immigration

Rachid Talbi Alami, Speaker of the House of Representatives, called for awareness of “the dangers of xenophobic discourses and stigmatization of immigrants,” in the context of cooperation between Morocco and the European Union to address the phenomenon. He also warned against turning immigration into “an electoral material and in political bidding, and pinning a number of problems on the basis of immigration.”

Talbi Alami added, in a speech he delivered on Tuesday morning at the opening of the debate that concludes the activities of the cooperation project between the Parliament of the Kingdom of Morocco and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, funded by the European Union, that the matter is related to “the arbitrary inclusion of migration in internal and cross-border geopolitical stakes.”

The Speaker of the House of Representatives added, criticizing: “Fortunately, in the face of isolationist and introverted anti-immigrant rhetoric, there are many in the North, as well as in the South, who defend immigration, immigrants, and coexistence, and call for dealing with it as a positive civilizational dynamic.”

Talbi Al-Alami went on to point out to the European and Moroccan parliamentarians present that, contrary to the claims of the anti-immigrants, the decisive contribution of immigrants to building the economies of the receiving countries since the end of World War II has been confirmed throughout history and is confirmed today. This is what is continued today by the high competencies that contribute to building the economic and service fabric and radiating the sports movement in these countries.”

The head of the first chamber of the Kingdom’s legislative institution pointed out that the countries exporting immigrants spend “a lot to educate and train these competencies, especially doctors and engineers,” highlighting that Morocco “spent more than a million dirhams on the training of one doctor,” stressing the need for the economies of the northern countries to “More human resources to fill the deficit resulting in a number of sectors from the decline in demographic growth, but the countries of the South need to develop the services provided to citizens and contribute to development with the contribution of their national competencies.”

He stressed that migration should be “regular, orderly and safe, and the rights and dignity of migrants should be respected,” pointing out that the European partners sense and appreciate the Kingdom’s efforts to confront “human trafficking networks, dismantle them, and combat irregular migration, with all the material, human and logistical costs.” For these efforts,” he pointed out that those who migrate and risk their lives in the prairies and seas do so “under compulsion and driven by conditions of poverty, unemployment, conflicts, or drought resulting in particular from climate imbalances.” “This is what we should keep in mind as we enact immigration policies.”

The same speaker called for “appreciation of our country’s efforts in combating irregular migration on the basis of respect for the law and human dignity, and its efforts to integrate migrants,” considering that climate imbalances in the African context constitute “a fundamental factor in internal and cross-border migration, as it causes drought, desertification, and the dramatic decline of forest cover.” Water scarcity, soil erosion, and at other times, hurricanes and floods, resulting in mass movements and displacement of people.”

Talbi Alami pointed out that poverty, need, and loss of livelihood caused by drought are all factors that push “many people, especially young people, to migrate outside their homelands, or migrate within one country,” noting that Africa contributes only less than 4 percent of the emissions causing global warming. Planet Earth, “which is the continent most affected by climate imbalances resulting from these emissions,” stressing that this situation raises the question of international solidarity in order to ward off the repercussions of climate imbalances, and to activate what the international group agreed upon.

For his part, Theodoros Roussopoulos, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, praised the level of partnership between the Assembly and the Moroccan Parliament, expressing his pride that his visit to the Moroccan Parliament was the first for a non-European Parliament.

Roussopoulos affirmed his firm belief in the partnership with the Moroccan Parliament, considering that it helped European representatives “see their problems from a different perspective,” pointing out that the partnership has reached an important stage and turning point in order to dedicate and activate a closer partnership and move forward towards a new stage.

The President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe considered that the environmental crisis and the challenges and problems resulting from it “exceed the borders and material capabilities of our countries,” highlighting that the worsening desertification and water shortages may lead to conflicts and disputes in the future in order to access these resources.

The same speaker stressed the need for cooperation to confront natural disasters with the aim of preventing mass displacement and mitigating the effects of the repercussions of demolishing their homes and forcing them to flee their homelands, stressing the need to care for the most vulnerable groups in these circumstances, including children and women.

In turn, Patricia Lombart-Cossac, the European Union Ambassador to Morocco, said that the strategic partnership between Morocco and the European Union “is ambitious and has achieved tangible results by keeping pace with the reforms launched by Morocco under the leadership of King Mohammed VI,” noting the quality of work accomplished over the past three years. .

Kossack pointed out that in the face of so much turmoil the world is witnessing, cooperation has become “necessary in the field of democracy and human rights,” stressing that the debate on issues of migration and climate change is “complex and necessary for the political decision-maker.”

The European Union Ambassador to Morocco noted that natural disasters and environmental degradation “have continued to worsen at a high scale and pace in recent years, such as earthquakes, floods and drought,” considering that the impact of these phenomena on the population is clear and that “no country is immune from these phenomena that affect people.” “Those who are forced to migrate and the countries of transit and reception.”

Kosak stressed the importance of research and supporting the collection of data and data on displacement resulting from climate change, considering that this matter can help support appropriate decisions and provide direct aid to residents who have lost their homes and enhance their ability to withstand.

The European Union Ambassador also stressed the need to ensure consistency between various policies in order to provide sustainable answers that enhance and strengthen multilateral relations through environmental and sustainable diplomacy, praising the commitment of the Kingdom of Morocco and the initiatives and projects it is undertaking in the field of the environment.