Morocco points to embezzlement of humanitarian funds in Africa
As coordinator of the African Group (List A) to the Executive Board of the World Food Program (WFP), Morocco pointed out, on Monday in Rome, the embezzlement of humanitarian funds in Africa while “funding is increasingly more rare”.
“List A takes very seriously the issue of humanitarian misappropriation, which is proving unacceptable at a time when funding is becoming increasingly scarce and crises are constantly on the increase,” said the Kingdom’s ambassador to UN organizations in Rome, Youssef Balla, who spoke at the annual session of the WFP Board of Directors, which takes place from June 26 to 30.
According to the Moroccan diplomat, “it is unacceptable that the generosity of donors to save lives is diverted and exploited for other purposes, in particular by armed militias and cooperating partners”.
More than 60% of fraud and embezzlement are committed by cooperating partners, he pointed out, calling for the review of agreements on the ground with these partners and to ensure the reliability of their personnel and their impartiality and effectiveness on field.
On another note, Balla underlined that food aid should be sustained, particularly through resilience-building activities, including in emergency interventions, but especially in structural and protracted crises to cut dependency short. with respect to food aid.
“We consider that the WFP has reached the maturity and the experience required to prevent food crises of various origins and to develop policies based rather on prevention than reaction, and on investment rather than expenditure”, a- he continued.
To do this, the members of List A insist on four points, said the Ambassador, noting the need to strengthen WFP’s mode of governance in terms of transparency and the re-edition of accounts and to strongly involve the recipient countries. , in order to better understand their needs and priorities. According to him, the current review of the governance of the UN organization “is timely. »
“We hope for a renewed governance framework taking into consideration the means of all members, in order to help them to participate actively in the governance of the organization”, he urged, calling for the consolidation of the momentum of the PAM in the UN system as a pioneer in innovation and digital transformation and its unparalleled ability to reach the most remote regions to serve the poor and disaster victims.
The Ambassador also stressed the need to avoid any politicization of the Organization’s action, inviting the WFP, on behalf of List A, to focus on structural crises.
Addressing Queen Máxima Zorreguieta of the Netherlands, guest of honor at the annual session, the Moroccan diplomat highlighted the crucial importance of food security as the “need to adapt to limited resources more and more urgent”.
Several challenges hinder the development of African smallholders and weaken their resilience, he observed, noting that these farmers are responsible for 80% of the continent’s food production, thus enabling nearly 1.5 billion people to live. meet their food needs.
As an engine of development and guarantor of peace and stability, access to inclusive and equitable financing has become indispensable for the social and economic development of Africa, he noted, calling for solutions innovative, adopted within the framework of a coordinated, integrated and multidimensional approach, at the global, regional and national levels. For Balla, inclusive, human-centered approaches are key to supporting financial health and the further development of affordable and secure digital financial services, especially for disadvantaged groups such as smallholder farmers and women.
“We urge you, Your Majesty, to continue your advocacy for disadvantaged categories, particularly in favor of African women, so that we can enhance their status and role, but also encourage small and medium-sized enterprises run by them, in order to guarantee their emancipation and development”, he said, adding that “women are a main vector of development in the African continent, whether for the present or for the future”.
Elected for the third consecutive year, Morocco is committed to promoting continental interests and concerns, within the Bureau and the Board of Directors, with the aim of strengthening the development of the continent, minimizing dependence and promoting a positive local economic dynamics.
Morocco was elected to the WFP Board of Directors in December 2020 for a period of three years.