India-Arab States Cooperation Forum Reiterates Respect for National Sovereignty and Territorial Integrity
The second ministerial meeting of the India-Arab States Cooperation Forum, held yesterday in New Delhi, reaffirmed the importance of respecting national sovereignty and territorial integrity as fundamental principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter.
In the “New Delhi Declaration” issued at the conclusion of the meeting, Arab and Indian ministers emphasized the necessity of adhering to the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of states, as well as respecting their sovereignty and territorial unity.
The declaration addressed several political issues relevant to the Arab region, primarily the situation in Libya, where participants underscored the “full Libyan leadership of the political process,” reiterating their commitment to the Libyan Political Agreement signed in 2015 in Skhirat, highlighting Morocco’s role in facilitating dialogue among Libyan factions to reach a lasting resolution to the crisis.
In this context, both parties expressed their rejection of hate speech and all forms of aggression targeting beliefs and religious practices, praising the United Nations General Assembly’s adoption of resolution “A/RES/75/309,” proposed by Morocco, which declared June 18 as an International Day to Combat Hate Speech.
According to the declaration, this stance reflects an increasing appreciation for Morocco’s role at both the regional and international levels in promoting values of peace, tolerance, and dialogue among religions and cultures, in line with the royal directives and the visionary outlook of His Majesty King Mohammed VI.
The meeting also featured the approval of an executive program for the period 2026-2028, encompassing various initiatives proposed by Morocco in multiple fields, including energy, water, infrastructure, and capacity building, as well as enhancing cooperation in youth and sports.
This second ministerial meeting, co-chaired by India and the United Arab Emirates as the current President of the Arab League, took place after a ten-year hiatus, following the first session held in Bahrain in 2016. The forum represents the highest institutional mechanism to guide the India-Arab partnership, which was launched in March 2002 via a memorandum of understanding between India and the Arab League.
Morocco participated in this meeting with a delegation led by the Kingdom’s Ambassador to Egypt and its Permanent Representative to the Arab League, Mohamed Ayat Ali, which included Ambassador of His Majesty the King in New Delhi, Mohamed Maliki, and the Director of Asian and Oceanic Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation, and Moroccan Expatriates, Omar Kadri.
