Bourita at the Security Council: 100,000 ships pass through Gibraltar annually

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans Living Abroad, Nasser Bourita, confirmed on Thursday before a meeting of the UN Security Council in the "Arria" format organized by the Kingdom of Bahrain, that Morocco considers the management of maritime straits "a responsibility and not a property," calling for the formulation of an international code of conduct that guarantees freedom of navigation in strategic corridors. Bourita's remarks came during a meeting on the topic "Safe Seas, Common Security: Protecting Freedom of Navigation in a Changing Security Environment", with the participation of his Bahraini counterpart, Abdul Latif bin Rashid Al-Zayani. The Strait of Gibraltar.. Figures reveal the volume of navigation. The Moroccan minister explained that Morocco is not just a coastal state, but has a direct responsibility in managing and securing the Strait of Gibraltar, one of the most important sea lanes in the world. He revealed that about 100,000 ships cross this strait annually, equivalent to 300 ships per day, or one ship every five minutes. According to Bourita, navigation traffic in the Strait of Gibraltar is five times more than in the Suez Canal, eleven times more than in the Panama Canal, and nearly three times more than in the Strait of Hormuz. For an international code of conduct and forum in coordination with Bahrain, Bourita stressed that Morocco does not view its geographical location as a privilege or a tool for pressure and blackmail, but rather as an international responsibility and a lever for cooperation, stability and development. In this context, the Minister called for a collective reflection on the drafting of an international code of conduct for the benefit of freedom of navigation, based on the principle that international sea lanes must remain open, safe and predictable spaces. Bourita suggested that Morocco, in coordination with the Kingdom of Bahrain, should host an international forum to promote Adhere to the rules of international law and exchange best practices, and end the polarization between those who claim to own these strategic corridors and those who seek to exploit them for the purposes of extortion. Why is this situation important? This Moroccan positioning comes at a time of growing international concerns about the security of strategic sea lanes, from the Strait of Hormuz to the Red Sea. Bourita considered that the seas and oceans constitute a basic global infrastructure, but they remain fragile despite their extreme importance, which makes them a target for ambitions and intentions Morocco's introduction of this initiative, from within the Security Council, reflects its desire to strengthen its position as an international actor in maritime security issues, especially in the case of the Strait of Gibraltar, which remains the focus of increasing geopolitical attention between the two shores of the Mediterranean.