Jeddah, July 1, 2024
Mr. Mohamed Salem Echarkaoui, the director running the Bayt Mal Al-Quds Asharif Agency (BMAQ), confirmed today, Monday, in Jeddah, that the Agency, affiliated with the Al-Quds Committee under the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), carries out its duties in serving Jerusalem and its Palestinian inhabitants according to the instructions of His Majesty King Mohammed VI and under his direct supervision. This commitment stems from a profound understanding of the significant changes taking place in the holy city and the entire region.
In his speech during the expert discussions session at the International Conference on Jerusalem 2024, organized by the United Nations Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in cooperation with the General Secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, on the topic “Jerusalem and the War on Gaza: Palestinian Identity and Existence Under the Threat of Obliteration,” Echarkaoui stated that the international community’s belief in rights, freedom, and justice must be translated into tangible actions that lead to the establishment of peace and stability in the Middle East.
In this context, he referred to the royal speech delivered by His Majesty King Mohammed VI, Commander of the Faithful and Chairman of the Al-Quds Committee, during the reception of Pope Francis in Rabat on March 30, 2019.
In his address, His Majesty stressed that “to tackle radicalism- all types of radicalism, the solution is neither military nor financial; that solution has but one name: education.”
Mr. Echarkaoui pointed out that the world is experiencing profound transformations on all levels—economic, epidemiological, climatic, and demographic—that must be taken into account to build a future for the coming generations.
He explained that, for this purpose, the BMAQ Agency has adopted a proactive approach in Jerusalem centered around a digitization strategy aimed at achieving the sustainable development goals beneficial to the city’s inhabitants.
Mr. Echarkaoui added that BMAQ’s strategy hinges on the effective utilization of funds supplied by the Kingdom of Morocco, the Agency’s exclusive 100% financier. These resources are dedicated to advancing concrete and influential initiatives in health, education, culture, heritage preservation, human development, and social welfare, aiming to enhance living conditions in Jerusalem.
He concluded, “While we acknowledge that these efforts remain insufficient, they can serve as a cornerstone for achieving optimal outcomes through ongoing commitment to resource efficiency and adopting initiatives that result from consultation and cooperation with various partners in the holy city.”
