Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has expressed hope that a UN Security Council resolution on a ceasefire in Gaza could be forthcoming in the short term. He also slammed the US for undermining efforts to bring peace to the region.
Lavrov arrived on Wednesday in Marrakech, Morocco to participate in the sixth Russian-Arab Cooperation Forum where ministers and top diplomats from the Middle East, North Africa, and Russia discussed trade, finance, energy, agriculture, and the Palestine-Israel conflict.
“Russia hopes that the UN Security Council will soon advocate an early ceasefire in Gaza,” Lavrov told the conference. “The US considers itself entitled to usurp any ceasefire processes and initiatives,” and thus wreaks havoc, he stated.
Moscow was “categorically condemned the terrorist attack on October 7,” but that “this time, the violence that is observed daily took unprecedented, truly catastrophic proportions.”
Meanwhile, a joint action plan for 2024-2026 has been devised by the Arab League and Russia, “including specific projects in various fields, such as information, sports, education, science.” This was mentioned by Morocco’s foreign minister, Nasser Bourita, who was speaking at a joint press conference with Sergey Lavrov and the Arab League’s assistant secretary-general, Hossam Zaki.
The Moroccan minister also noted that “the indicators of trade and economic cooperation are increasing. Moreover, for the Arab countries, the dialogue with Russia is of constructive, positive significance.”
According to the Russian foreign minister, Morocco is one of Russia’s leading trade and economic partners. “With Moroccans and many other members of the League of Arab States, we are developing projects that have the potential for regional coverage. At the final stage – the creation of the Russian industrial zone in Egypt, in the area of the Suez Canal,” he said.
Lavrov also met with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Hassan Shoukry within the forum’s framework. During the meeting, the Russian head of diplomacy “expressed appreciation to the Egyptian side for assisting in ensuring the safe departure of Russian citizens from the enclave,” the Russian Foreign Ministry reported.
The ministers discussed the management of the crises and conflicts in Yemen, Libya, Syria, and Lebanon. In addition, they talked about further strengthening Russian-Egyptian cooperation, including maintaining active political dialogue and interaction in the UN, BRICS, and other international forums.
After a four-year break, the event resumed and followed up on the results of the last forum in Moscow in 2019. Fourteen foreign ministers from Arab League member states participated.