Morocco's Youth Come Forward in Climate Action as LCOY 2025 Concludes in Rabat
The event marked a significant moment for youth engagement in climate action as the country prepares for the upcoming COP30 conference in Brazil.
The three-day event, which concluded Friday at the Faculty of Governance, Economic and Social Sciences, brought together young leaders, experts, and decision-makers to address pressing environmental challenges and develop concrete policy recommendations that will be carried forward to the international stage.
In an interview with Morocco World News (MWN), LCOY Morocco 2025 Communication Director Aya Alami said that it 'is not just an event for us, it's our chance. It's Morocco's chance to show the world that youth actually can make a change.'
The conference, endorsed by YOUNGO, the youth constituency of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, and supported by Morocco's Ministry of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, represents a crucial platform for amplifying young voices in climate policy. LCOY Morocco 2025 Communication Director Aya Alami
Bridging Local action with global impact
The conference's significance extends beyond national borders, serving as a preparatory platform for COP30, scheduled for November 2025 in Belém, Brazil.
Event Director Fouad El Bouari pointed out the conference's role in creating a direct pipeline from local youth engagement to international climate negotiations.
'We gathered more than 100 youths from all over the 12 regions of Morocco to organize a conference about sustainable development in all thematics and topics regarding climate change,' El Bouari explained in an interview with MWN.
'The goal is to come out with logical recommendations that will be prescribed in the Moroccan statements presented to different decision makers and institutions.' LCOY Morocco 2025 Event Director Fouad El Bouari
The opening ceremony on Wednesday featured prominent figures, including Nathalie Fustier, Resident Representative of the UN System in Morocco, who delivered what organizers described as a 'compelling speech,' stressing the importance of youth engagement in climate action.
Comprehensive climate agenda
The conference tackled interconnected environmental challenges through specialized workshops and panels. The first day featured three parallel policy workshops examining the nexus between water, food, energy, and ecosystems; resilient communities and disaster preparedness; and green finance, jobs, and sustainable entrepreneurship.
Notable experts participated throughout the program, including Rajae Chafil, former president of 4C Maroc Center and recognized climate change expert, who contributed to discussions on building climate-resilient communities.
'We had the first workshop on a Nexus between water, food, energy, and ecosystems to show how these themes are inherently connected and how one impacts the other,' El Bouari noted, pointing out the conference's holistic approach to environmental challenges.
The second day expanded the dialogue with panels covering water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), eco-responsible behaviors, climate crisis and conflict, and climate justice from a Moroccan perspective.
A unique feature was mock Conference of Parties (COP) simulations, allowing participants to experience international climate negotiations firsthand.
Youth engagement in political processes
A standout element of the program was dedicated sessions on climate and political parties, designed to increase youth engagement in Morocco's political landscape. El Bouari explained that this workshop aimed to include 'a type of body that doesn't vote enough in the Moroccan political landscape, to make them more knowledgeable about the political parties and their stances on climate change.'
The conference also addressed critical social issues, including safeguarding children's rights in a changing climate and exploring artificial intelligence's potential for social impact.
Building Networks for future action
The Youth Networking Gala for Climate Action, held Thursday evening, provided participants with opportunities to build lasting connections. Fatima-Ezzahrae Lammat, a second-year student at UM6P's Faculty of Governance, Economics and Social Sciences, argued about the significance of networking component in preparing future leaders. Fatima-Ezzahrae Lammat, a second-year student at UM6P's Faculty of Governance, Economics and Social Sciences
'What we are really trying to do is to empower youth and give them a voice on the platform, especially those who care a lot about the climate crisis, which is a very pressing matter in today's world and especially in Morocco,' Lammat said in an interview with MWN.
From local voices to global stage
The conference's outcomes will be consolidated into a comprehensive policy brief containing recommendations from all sessions and workshops. These recommendations will not remain merely academic exercises but will be integrated into Morocco's official positions for COP30.
'All those ideas will be gathered in one policy brief that will actually not just remain words on paper, but it will actually take place on the negotiation table at the COP,' Alami noted, stressing that the conference has a practical impact on policy-making.
As Morocco continues to position itself as a leader in African climate action, LCOY 2025 demonstrates the country's commitment to ensuring that young voices are not just heard but actively shape the policy decisions that will determine their environmental future.
The conference's legacy will extend far beyond its three-day duration, as its participants carry forward both the knowledge gained and the networks built to continue their climate advocacy at local, national, and international levels. Tags: climate changeMoroccan YouthMoroccoUM6P
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Morocco World
8 hours ago
- Morocco World
The Migration-Immigration Dilemma: A Double-Edged Sword
During the summer season, Moroccans residing abroad (MRA) return massively to Morocco to spend their holidays in their country. Over the last three weeks, messages have been disseminated on social media stating that the influx of MRA would be low compared to previous years. Official data refutes these rumors and shows an increase in the arrivals of MRAs compared to 2024 during the same period. The underlying debate would rather be about maneuvers aimed at pushing observers and the public to doubt the patriotism of MRA, whose transfers have broken records in recent years – even during the time when the COVID pandemic was at its peak. According to statistics the Office of Exchanges recently published, fund transfers made by MRA have doubled from 2014 to 2023. They increased from 57.4 billion dirhams to 117.4 billion dirhams (MMDH). These transfers reached 17.86 billion dirhams by the end of February 2025, compared to more than 18 billion dirhams during the same period in 2024. The flow of transfers continues despite the adoption of a European directive regulating the presence of foreign banks on the soil of the European Union (EU) starting from 2026. Negotiations have been initiated by Moroccan authorities and the EU to seek solutions, particularly digital ones, to circumvent the aforementioned directive. Progress has been made in Moroccan policy toward Moroccan nationals residing abroad. Only ill-intentioned people continue to spread the message that nothing has been done. The aim of this paper is to shed light on a phenomenon that deserves some care, namely, the outline of a migration movement toward the north and a migration movement toward the south. A swing movement that involves departure and return for good in both directions. The departure abroad: the celebration of old times and nowadays realities There was a time when obtaining a passport and securing a study or work visa abroad was a happy event anticipated for individual advancement and a change in their social status. Long before that, the pilgrimage to Mecca had a similar value by adding deep psychological satisfaction to the signs of piety. Moreover, for the past few years, taking vacations abroad has expressed a tendency to demonstrate proven well-being. Although the countries visited do not necessarily have anything special in terms of intellectual and cultural fulfilment, they have the aura that people deem worth experiencing. In none of the aforementioned cases is the topic of migration mentioned or discussed in fine detail. It doesn't matter whether the migration is perceived as a short or long-term journey or as a well-thought-out plan for permanent settlement. This reminds me of the reaction of a renowned Maghrebi writer on a French channel toward the end of the 1980s. He was asked what he thought of immigration in his capacity as a former immigrant. The writer's response expressed massive outrage. He shouted, 'I am not an immigrant. I chose to live in France of my own free will, and I am happy to enjoy a privileged status. It is true that at the time the distinction between migration and immigration was not as clear-cut, although studies on the presence of Maghreb communities in many countries were carried out. These studies addressed with varying degrees of success the economic, social, political, and above all, psychological dimensions. At least a decade ago, an adjective became more frequent: 'saved'. It happened that someone was asked about their son or daughter. They responded, 'He did it.' What would he have done? No comment. But people understood that the child had gone abroad. He did it by leaving the country for good. 'The use of the word 'saved'' may have another meaning and be associated with the issue of human rights. This can be a pretext for leaving the country, as was the case six decades ago. The confusion between the status of a migrant and the status of a political refugee has long dominated the debate on political reforms (or even regime change) and the tug-of-war between host countries and countries of origin. More recently, a phenomenon has become increasingly frequent. Some former high-ranking officials or executives of large companies prefer to settle abroad by leveraging their time in certain countries as part of their professional obligations. Others seize the opportunity that their children have obtained the nationality of these countries to take up residence there. These people become refugees of a different kind. They cannot even be included in the category of voluntary exiles or asylum seekers. The phenomenon has come back into the spotlight following the tug-of-war between France and Algeria over the issue of visas and the privileged status granted to Algerians under the 1968 agreement. The reduction in the number of visas, even for medical emergencies, and the threat to confiscate assets acquired in violation of transparent banking transfer rules have been perceived as a setback to the perception of tranquility that Algerian decision-makers have enjoyed for five decades. Similarly, the repatriation of individuals in irregular situations or those who have served common law prison sentences and are prohibited from residing on French territory has been a clear message that the privileges the Algerians enjoy under the 1968 and 1994 agreements will be drastically reduced. France had waved the same threat against Morocco three years earlier, at a time when the latter was waiting for Paris to make a clear and unambiguous decision on the Moroccan Sahara issue. It goes without saying that the status of a privileged resident in a foreign state, particularly in Europe and the United States, becomes a double-edged sword. The amendment of laws on the stay and permanent establishment of foreigners is perceived as a kind of bargaining in both directions. In 2014, Morocco launched a campaign to regularize sub-Saharan Africans. By the end of 2023, approximately 50,000 people had been regularized. In the process a dramatic twist happened: officials in charge discovered that dozens of foreign nationals, including Europeans and Americans, had been in an irregular situation. Naturally, the regularization was part of a unifying royal vision, of which migration policy was one of the most important vectors. This migratory policy was also part of a renewed and more audacious African policy Morocco was implementing toward Africa in terms of co-development, step-by-step integration, and constructive dialogue. Already, the Spanish Institute of Statistics revealed in 2016 that between 2001 and 2011, thousands of Spaniards came to Morocco to look for work as laborers, carpenters, mechanics, waiters, and other jobs they could no longer find in Spain. A television programme on France 2 broadcast in December 2013 had also revealed that there would be approximately 5,000 Spaniards working illegally in Morocco. According to an article by Le 360 published in April 2023, the number of Spaniards residing in Morocco is estimated to be between 10,000 and 15,000, with just over 3,000 of them registered with the National Social Security Fund (NSSF). Morocco then becomes a refuge, a safe haven of a new kind. At a time when the West is closing in on itself, when the search for scapegoats becomes a hallmark of individuals and groups sinking into chauvinism, xenophobia, Islamophobia and obscurantism of all kinds, questions arise. They concern Moroccans who choose to settle abroad, even those who claim to have a comfortable social situation in Morocco. These questions also address the case of foreigners who come to settle in Morocco for the same reasons on one hand, and on the other hand, the case of those who are forced to do so for economic reasons. I will attempt to address this issue without falling into dogmatism or bias. People chose Europe and the United States to seek, as they assume, 'a quality life'. However, if they are asked to be more specific, they are unable to provide a precise and convincing definition of what they call 'a quality life'. We assume that 'a quality life' is linked to appearances: a luxury flaunted to the point of bordering on the absurd, not to say the ridiculous. Be that as it may, the main thing is to make sure that the bluff appears tangible and that the charade transforms into an acquired right to bluff people. The quest to live better in a realm of uncertainties To the presumed 'a quality life' is associated another statement, 'poor living'. The candidates complain about everything. They belong to that category of people who see everything in black. This reminds me of the refrain of Claude Nougaro's 1975 song: « Sur l'écran de mes nuits blanches/Moi, je me fais du cinéma. » If insomnia is the main theme in Nougaro's song, the suffering of the unbearable daily routine is that of those people who lament over nothing in search of absolution for an ambition that has not reached its apotheosis. Suffering is associated with the propensity for denial and the refusal to try everything possible to revamp and start anew. Nothing satisfies this category of denialists, even when they succeed in their professional and family life, for example. More than the ambition to do better, they seek to surpass themselves in other ways. Some end up failing at everything. They then swell the ranks of the 'Never Satisfied', that breed of individuals who complain about everything, with or without reason. The brain drain that had been the common lot of many executives and senior officials is not solely explained by the lack of opportunities for advancement in their home country. There is certainly a tangible fact that can be brought forward to get a heated debate on the issue: the existence of obstacles, the generation conflict in the workplace, the gender dilemma, etc. However, put that way, the dilemma cannot summarize the whole issue. Because only a handful of people manage to obtain the same working conditions and pay compared to what they had or could have had in their homeland. The requirements for upgrading, or even resuming training, ring false in the minds of many of those people, who eventually become disillusioned. The temptation to return to their homeland is strong, but they don't have the guts to go that far, for fear that their relatives and friends would make fun of – if not despise – them. The COVID pandemic of 2020-2021 revealed a previously concealed fracture in a West grappling with its own contradictions. It gives nightmares to foreign populations in many Western countries, particularly in Europe and the United States and Canada. Vulnerability takes over from the assurances of appearances. The search for jobs becomes problematic. The much-desired integration becomes wishful thinking. Assimilation resembles some sort of inquisition. Fortress Europe – and soon Fortress America – is no longer a preferred safe haven for many foreigners. Then a reverse migration begins to timidly emerge. It is visible through two processes. The first process involves some European nationals choosing to settle in a country like Morocco, where job opportunities are abundant depending on job description and sector. The second process involves the return of several dozen Moroccan nationals to Morocco to settle there permanently. I do not have precise statistics on the two phenomena, but the trend has been accelerating for at least two years. Despite some resistance related to a rigid mindset, there is a renewed confidence in Morocco's potential, in the existence of opportunities, and in the political will at the highest level of the state to implement thoughtful and realistic development plans. We are therefore witnessing a kind of reverse migration that will undoubtedly gain momentum, now that Morocco is on a positive trajectory in terms of attracting foreign investments. Morocco is believed to be a must-pass for all those aiming at a multidimensional African policy based on community of interest and destiny. Similarly, another factor now seems to play a decisive role, particularly in Europe, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia, to name just these areas: the influence of wokism trends that frighten North African and sub-Saharan foreign communities. The wokism they deem to be diverted from its initial mission of denouncing all forms of discrimination to include, with great fanfare, the issue of sexual preferences or gender in general, targeting children under the pretext of the right to a sound and equal opportunity to education. From temptation to the dilemma of identity clash If we take a look at the narrative pertaining to anti-Semitism, mandatory integration, and automatic assimilation, the picture describes the feelings of insecurity that now take on the aspect of an existential struggle. Even alienation is experienced by some communities as a form of schizophrenia that they cannot soundly assess. Hence, they deny it. Although it may be seen as a cliché, the issue of mixed marriages between Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, Hindus, or agnostics might be included in this debate. However, it includes another element never frankly addressed before. Four or five decades ago, the topic of mixed marriages was addressed in relation to the cultural divide within mixed-faith couples, particularly concerning monotheistic religions. For the past few years, two phenomena have been giving parents a Scottish shower. On one hand, the mixed marriages of children that parents dread, believing that their children should not make the mistakes they feel they have made. On the other hand, there are the religious or agnostic preferences of the children who dismiss with a wave of the hand the narrative that has been conveyed for quite some time by parents belonging to different cultures and religions. I partially addressed this issue in a novel a few years ago (Hami H., Suicide à Distance, 2013). The dilemma of faith and religion emerges as a deep rift exacerbated by the political and religious divide. It is this tear that has been used by certain centers in power in North African and Middle Eastern countries to inject discord into people's minds. The most extreme case was that of religious extremist movements belonging to the three monotheistic religions and their ramifications. They used doctrinal and ideological ambivalence to challenge the political chessboards in the West and the East. Convinced they are right-doing, some decision-making centers, including intelligence services, used their fellow citizens with foreign roots as a means to bargain with the governments of the host countries in Europe and the United States. However, they ended up witnessing that the wheel of exclusion turned wrongly and targeted them in the end. So, mixed marriages that had been a kind of aspiration for emancipation to escape 'poor living' and have 'a quality life' turn into a psychological blockage whose main cause is the children who start challenging the whole arsenal of certainties and first truths. The quest for fast social ascension, despite the lack of means and the reality on the ground that had been legion five decades ago, has become a headache for parents and grandparents and an unbearable 'I don't care' attitude from children and grandchildren. A kind of reverse flight has begun without anyone raising the alarm (Hami H., La Fuite à l'Envers, 2005). The migration of foreigners, particularly Mediterranean Europeans, to Morocco is no longer limited to experts, teachers, and permanent residents, but it extends to categories of 'ordinary people' hit by the crisis in the Old Continent. It is certain that this trend will accelerate ahead of the organization of major cultural and sporting events in Morocco by 2030. Similarly, the rush of certain Moroccan professional categories toward Europe, America, or Australia for a hypothetical 'better quality life' has increased to the point they have become hostages to their children and grandchildren. This is a trend that has no convincing explanation. A truth that some can no longer hide: the children, even adults with a decent professional situation, are hardly offended by summoning their parents to send them money so that they can adapt to the high cost of living in the host countries. This is without ruling out the new forms of mixed marriage that bypass conditions that would never have been accepted three or four decades ago. It is also true that there are many marriage rules even in Morocco that bypass the same requirements. The dilemma of migration-immigration is still debated with the same intensity, but it depends on the evolution of people's mindset and the willingness of those in charge to take the bull by the horns. Hopefully the battle won't end up hurting. It goes without saying that the culture of denial and refusal to adjust to bare truths will be a permanent challenge. Arguments are becoming more frequent between parents about children's higher education, mainly on the best way to secure a high-quality one abroad. Beside the debate on the public and the private schools, parents are concerned and worried about how to make the appropriate choice to live up to their children's expectations. Parents then work hard, and some, even if they don't have the means, don't even hesitate to go into debt to send them abroad. They sell assets and hope that everything will go well. New generations of migrants are taking to the sea; it is not certain that they will be able to return, even if things do not go as planned. They may be tempted to swell the ranks of illegal migrants. And the parents will continue to bend over backwards to get them out of trouble. And if by chance some of them make the decision to return to launch projects or settle in their country, expressions like 'a quality life', 'struggling', 'saved', etc., ring in their ears like a bell of apocalypse. They are then blamed for having taken a dangerous U-turn. Be that as it may, they are holding on even though resettlement might be hard and bureaucracy temporarily hindering their momentum. However, things are improving, and hope remains; otherwise, why would there be more and more foreigners choosing Morocco as a safe haven, an ideal place to build or rebuild their lives? Nonetheless, some might be tempted to argue that I would have forgotten to talk about the new reality on the ground, namely that Morocco is becoming a place of residence for many sub-Saharan, Middle Eastern, and European foreigners. No, not at all; I just didn't want to talk about the same problems already mentioned above. At the forefront of these problems are the consequences of various forms of cultural and psychological clashes caused primarily by mixed marriages and apprehensions about 'quality life', 'poor living', 'being saved', and the impossibility of perceiving political, economic, and social changes without sacrificing to haste and hasty judgements. In any case, I would forbid myself to take that walk… At least, I hope so. Tags: morocan diasporaMoroccan diaspora
Morocco World
11 hours ago
- Morocco World
Stanford Law Graduate to Be First Moroccan Clerk at International Court of Justice
Marrakech – A lawyer will make history as the first Moroccan to serve as a clerk at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) since the creation of its prestigious Judicial Fellowship Program in 2000. Adil Auraghi, who recently graduated from Stanford Law School, ranked the number one law school globally by Times Higher Education, will begin working at the ICJ in September. He will serve as a Judicial Fellow, working directly for Judge Leonardo Nemer Caldeira Brant from Brazil. 'It is essential that African countries, and more generally, countries of the Global South are represented in international justice, especially in the current context of globalization,' Auraghi told Morocco World News (MWN). Auraghi's journey began in Belgium, where he faced discrimination in high school that led to his being homeschooled to complete his diploma. Despite these challenges, he went on to graduate with High Honors from the Université Catholique de Louvain in 2021. For three years, Auraghi worked as a lawyer at the Brussels Bar while simultaneously serving as a teaching and research assistant at the Université Saint-Louis Bruxelles for two years. His academic excellence earned him the Belgian American Educational Foundation (BAEF) scholarship to study at Stanford University, where he graduated with a Master of Law focused on Environmental Law and Human Rights in June of this year. During his time at Stanford, he also worked as a research assistant in Human Rights. The ICJ, often referred to as the 'World Court,' is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. Located in The Hague, Netherlands, it resolves legal disputes between states and provides advisory opinions on legal questions from UN organs and specialized agencies. The court is composed of 15 judges who are elected for nine-year terms by both the United Nations General Assembly and the Security Council, with each judge being a national of a different country. Each year, the ICJ selects only 15 lawyers worldwide for its highly competitive Judicial Fellowship Program. Fellows are chosen based on their language skills, academic achievements, and extracurricular activities. Auraghi asserts that Moroccan lawyers have a unique responsibility on the global stage. 'For too long, our countries have been subjects of international policy with a limited participation in shaping them,' he explained to MWN. 'As citizens of one of the most politically stable and economically powerful countries in Africa, with a strong diplomatic presence in the MENA region, Moroccan lawyers have a particular responsibility to use this influence.' He believes this influence should be directed toward 'fostering peace-making and advocating for the dignity and sovereignty of all countries of the Global South.' 'I would advise always advocating for the interests of Morocco' For young Moroccans aspiring to careers in international law, Auraghi recommends a multidisciplinary approach. 'Learn law as such, but also develop an interest in other subjects such as history, geopolitics, and economics,' he advised. This broader understanding helps reveal 'the underlying reasons for the adoption of certain international conventions and judgements.' He also stressed the importance of language skills, particularly 'the command of French, English and Arabic, which many Moroccans have and which is a very important asset in this field.' 'On the ground, in day-to-day work, I would advise always advocating for the interests of Morocco, but also for all African countries, and the Global South in general,' Auraghi insisted. Auraghi recognizes the broader significance of his appointment. 'I understand the importance of my presence at the ICJ for Moroccan representation internationally, and more specifically for young Moroccans living in Belgium, where students of African origin are facing systemic discrimination,' he stated. 'Although access to higher education in Belgium is, in theory, affordable and within reach, many students of African origin do not reach university-level education,' Auraghi shared with MWN. He pointed to reports from UNHRC (2025) and UNIA (2017 and 2024) highlighting 'school segregation' in the Brussels high-school system. This systemic issue explains 'why law schools, and ultimately the Belgian legal sector, lack diversity,' according to Auraghi. Various organizations are working to address these problems, particularly the Diversity and Inclusion Commission of the French Brussels Bar, headed by Sophie Huart, as noted by Auraghi. Auraghi's first-of-its-kind appointment in 25 years goes beyond personal acclaim; it signals a pivotal advance in Morocco's footprint within international legal bodies. It also speaks volumes about the untapped force of the nearly 5 million Moroccans abroad, whose global presence continues to propel the country's stature worldwide. Read also: Belgian-Moroccan Political Scientist Fatima Zibouh Named Brussels Leader of the Year
Ya Biladi
a day ago
- Ya Biladi
Ministry launches campaign to support Moroccans living abroad with urbanism and housing initiative
The Ministry of National Territorial Planning, Urbanism, Housing, and City Policy has launched a campaign targeting Moroccans living abroad (MREs), under the theme «Urbanism and Housing in the Service of Moroccans Worldwide», as part of its contribution to the Marhaba 2025 operation. As part of this initiative, a mobile outreach caravan was launched on Saturday from Tangier and will travel through 10 cities across various regions of Morocco until August 31, 2025, the ministry announced in a statement. A key focus of the campaign is the Daam Sakane housing assistance program, which aims to help citizens access decent housing. To better serve MREs, the ministry has rolled out several concrete measures across all 12 regions of the country to improve reception conditions and enhance the quality of public services. These include the creation of dedicated reception and advisory areas in all central and regional branches of the ministry, the establishment of one-stop shops within Al Omrane's commercial agencies, reception units at Urban Agencies and border entry points, and the organization of open house events. The ministry is also working to make urban planning information more accessible—via digital platforms such as the Taamir geoportal and through direct communication—by streamlining procedures and ensuring close follow-up of housing and investment-related applications.
