Morocco asks to postpone Negev-2 Forum, again

A view from Moroccan Assembly during an extraordinary session in Rabat, Morocco on January 23, 2023. An extraordinary session was held in the Moroccan Assembly in the capital Rabat regarding the draft resolution adopted by the European Parliament on 19 January on human rights violations in Morocco [ Jalal Morchidi – Anadolu Agency ]

Morocco has asked to postpone the ministerial meeting of the Negev Forum, scheduled at the end of this month, to July due to Eid Al-Adha, Axios news site reported.

According to the site, this is the fourth time the Forum has been postponed.

The meeting was originally scheduled for March, but Arab members have expressed concerns about publicly engaging with the Israeli right-wing government, Axios said.

The site added the US administration and several member states also wish to change the Forum’s name, which refers to Israel’s Negev region.

A Moroccan academic specialised in international relations, Hassan Ikrtet, said the postponement is linked to regional developments and the Forum’s upcoming agenda, as well as the decisions that should emerge from the Forum, especially since the participating countries have raised the level of cooperation in fields of security, economy, industry, food security and other aspects.

He added that Saudi Arabia could have played a role in postponing the Forum, explaining that even if Riyadh is not participating in the summit, the participants take into account the Saudi rapprochement with both Iran and Syria.

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