Ambassador Mohamed Arrouchi, Morocco's Permanent Representative to the AU and the ECA-UN, addressed the gathering and emphasized Morocco's readiness to contribute to the AU's development goals. "I would like to confirm Morocco's readiness to share its experience and expertise in development financing, sustainable development goals (SDGs), and the aspirations of Agenda 2063."

The diplomat's remarks shed light on the financial challenges facing the AU, particularly the allocation of a significant portion of its budget to peace and security in previous years. This prompts a crucial evaluation of the effectiveness of this approach in achieving peace and security on the continent.

Ambassador Arrouchi pointed out that another part of the AU budget remains untapped, waiting to be allocated to address various development-related aspirations. He stressed the need for a shift in approach, stating that "the exclusively security-oriented approach has shown its limitations, a fact confirmed by the relevance of the Nexus approach: peace, security, and development."

The new approach advocated by Arrouchi would involve allocating a substantial percentage of peacekeeping operation budgets to essential development projects. These projects are deemed critical to ensuring stability and addressing the numerous factors that contribute to instability in Africa, including insufficient development, unemployment, food insecurity, and health issues.

The three-day Ministerial Retreat aims to foster discussions and strategic guidance on the outcomes of the Special Project for Agenda 2063. This initiative focuses on evaluating the First Ten-Year Plan and formulating the Second Ten-Year Plan for the implementation of Agenda 2063. Additionally, it addresses the classification of flagship projects and financing-related challenges.