Political Statement by
The High-level Advisory Council of
the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC)
at the conclusion of their meeting in Marrakech, Morocco
9-10 June 2022
We, the members of the High-Level Advisory Council of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) met in Marrakech amid the most consequential geopolitical crisis since WWII. The war in Ukraine, now in its 4th month, has exacerbated the vulnerability and fragility of the multilateral system. The ripple effect of the war continues to unfold but its full impact and magnitude are yet to be accessed.
As bad as the situation is for the people in Ukraine and those who fled to neighboring countries and elsewhere seeking refuge and risking the unknown, the conflict’s consequences for regional and global peace and security are deeply troubling especially as the world is struggling to recover from a global pandemic.
The war has already displaced more than 15 million which constitutes the fastest forced population movement since the Second World War.
Beyond Ukraine’s borders, the war has caused serious damage to the global economy and finance. Significant increase in prices of food, energy and basic materials are causing consternation to the global population, particularly in the developing countries and would be manifested in an increase of geopolitical uncertainties.
This grave situation calls for an urgent action to end the hostilities, listen to the voice of reason and silence the guns, now.
Against the aforementioned backdrop, we, members of the High-Level Advisory Council of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC),
- Recall, the preamble of the Charter of the United Nations “we the people of the United Nations determined to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war”;
- Stress, the United Nations was created in the name of peace, after the horrors of two global wars that began in Europe and affirms, real peace should remain our guiding star and most precious goal;
- Express grave concern, about the peace void that such war has further deepened posing a serious threat to international order and the global peace architecture and eventually ushering a new era of instability, violence and conflicts;
- Emphasize, the territorial integrity and sovereignty of all must be respected in line with the UN Charter;
- Stress, the solution to the ongoing war is to find a pathway for peace;
- Call for, opening the door to effective dialogue and diplomacy;
- Strongly urges both parties, for an immediate ceasefire as a pre-requisite to start meaningful and effective negotiations;
- Emphasize, the importance of maintaining and strengthening international peace and security founded upon freedom, equality, justice and respect for human rights;
- Call upon all parties, to allow safe and unhindered passage and access to humanitarian assistance in Ukraine;
- Warn, of the dire consequences of a potential threat of use of proliferation of nuclear weapons, as well as appeal for a renewed commitment to principles and purposes of the Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) and the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT);
- Recall, the mission and mandate of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations as a political tool for conflict prevention and conflict resolution, uniting cultures, religions and civilizations and working for the advancement of a peaceful “living together”;
- Re-iterate, the important mandate carried out by UNAOC and encourage the re-purposing of its role and broadening the scope of its mandate to work for real peace and equality as “An Alliance of Civilization for Peace & Equality” so as to enable it to contribute effectively to the overall Secretary-General’s “New Agenda for Peace”
Members of the High-level Advisory Council of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations who participated in the Marrakech meeting :
In-person participation (in no particular order)
- Dr. Elkhalil Binebine, Moroccan Businessman
- His Excellency Mr. Miguel Ángel Moratinos, High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations
- His Excellency Mr. Amre Moussa, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Egypt, Former Secretary-General of the League of Arab States
- Her Excellency Ms. Benita Ferrero-Waldner, Former Foreign Minister of the Republic of Austria, Former European Commissioner for External Relations
- Her Excellency Ms. Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, Former President of the Republic of Croatia
- Her Excellency Ms. María Fernanda Espinosa, President of the 73rd Session of the United Nations General Assembly, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic Ecuador
- His Excellency Dr. Yehuda Lancry, Former Ambassador of Israel to France, Former Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations
- His Excellency Mr. José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, Former President of the Government of Spain (Guest of Honor)
- His Excellency, Mr. Ammar Al Khudairy, Saudi Businessman (membership request pending)
- Ms. Nihal Saad, Chief of Cabinet and Senior Adviser on Policy of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC Secretariat)
Online participation:
- Prof. Jeffrey Sachs, Economist and Director of the Center for Sustainable Development in the Earth Institute at Columbia University