HM the King: Morocco Has Always Based its External Action On Legalistic, Structured Approach Grounded In Compliance with International Law & UN Charter Principles

“No viable order is possible without rules. My country’s diplomacy is firmly based on that conviction,” said the Sovereign in a message addressed to the participants in the 82nd session of the Institute of International Law, whose proceedings opened Sunday at the Academy of the Kingdom of Morocco in Rabat.

Recalling that no major progress can be made in isolation, HM the King underlined in this message, read out by Mohamed Bennouna, President of the Institute of International Law, that “international dynamics are not just balancing games between states. They are based on values, on consensual principles and on institutions that are capable of properly shaping cooperation and making sure these principles can withstand the test of time.”

On this occasion, the Sovereign commended the Institute of International Law as “a fervent advocate for the peaceful settlement of disputes, a position anchored in the principles of the United Nations Charter, which has, over time, been able to listen to the world, to open itself up to diversity and to accommodate all cultures, all sensitivities.”

“The fact that this session is being held in Morocco, under the chairmanship of a Moroccan who is a fervent defender of international law is, in my opinion, testimony to what I have just said,” stressed His Majesty the King, noting that since it was created in 1873, the Institute of International Law “has been more than just a witness to the deep changes affecting the world. It has been an astute observer, a resourceful analyst, a standard-setter and a strong voice for the legal conscience of the world.”

“As Institute members, you have been carrying out this mission with a perseverance that is nothing short of admirable,” HM the King continued.

His Majesty the King further recalled that the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to the Institute in 1904 is a recognition of the masterly work performed in serving international law.

The Sovereign also pointed out that this session in Rabat is taking place at a time when international law is being strongly challenged by violent headwinds.

“The world is changing ever rapidly, certainties are being battered, landmarks blurred, alliances called into question; international law – now challenged in its very capacity to regulate international relations – is too often abused,” noted HM the King, stressing that “faced with all these challenges, the Institute will no doubt manage to consolidate its reputation and confirm its vocation.”

Referring to the agenda of this session, His Majesty the King recalled that it “addresses a number of burning issues, including the question of pandemics. These global crises affect not only people’s health, but also the fundamental principles on which the world is founded.”

“Given the tensions between national sovereignty, on the one hand, and international cooperation, on the other, between security imperatives and the need for solidarity, a systemic crisis does more than just disrupt the established order. It also lays bare its flaws and accelerates change,” stressed the Sovereign.

His Majesty the King therefore called on participants “to identify these deep changes, not simply to understand the recent past, but also to sketch out the broad outlines of a more resilient system of international law – one that can also rise to the challenges of the future.”

“May Morocco be, therefore, a source of inspiration for you. May Rabat be a forum for exchange and emulation, and may this 82nd Congress be the one that puts international law back where it belongs: not a part of a disenchanted utopia, but rather a lighthouse shining through mist,” concluded HM the King.

Editorial team/le7tv