Moroccan Prime Minister presents development model to UN Assembly

Addressing the annual high-level debate in New York, Abdelilah Benkirane appealed for developing countries to be treated fairly, especially in Africa, and for development issues to be addressed in an objective manner.

“Western countries and their affiliated institutions do is give lessons, and, at best, a few pieces of advice,” he said. “As for support, it is very limited and is always conditional.”

Noting this year’s theme of “Delivering on and implementing a transformative post-2015 development,” he argued against applying a single development model which compares between countries.

“Each country follows a path of its own, having taken into consideration its historical development, cultural heritage, human and natural resources, specific political circumstances, as well as its economic choices and the obstacles and challenges facing it,” he noted.

The evolution of countries should not be governed by rating or classification, he said, but be viewed as an historical process based on each country’s own experiences.

The Prime Minister’s address, delivered on behalf of King Mohammed VI, comes amid accelerated action to reach the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), agreed to by world leaders at a UN summit in 2000, to fight poverty, hunger and disease, protect the environment and expand education, basic health and women’s empowerment.

The international community is currently finalizing a new sustainable development agenda to begin in January 2016.