Negev Forum is postponed by the Moroccan government for a fourth time

On Jun 15, 2023

The Moroccan government has requested a rescheduling, which has resulted in another postponement of the widely awaited Negev Forum, which was initially planned to happen in March.

According to Axios, the main cause of the first delay was attributed to concerns expressed by Arab members regarding public involvement with the right-wing Israeli government.

The most recent hurdle occurred when the Moroccan government asked to move the Negev Forum from June 25 to July.

Israeli officials said that the reason given for their request was the approaching Islamic holiday of Eid al-Adha, which starts just a few days after the scheduled date.

Proposed changes concern the name and membership of the Negev Forum in addition to the dates that will be changed.

The group’s name, which now relates to Israel’s Negev region, has been changed at the request of the American administration and other member states.

According to Israeli authorities, using a broader term or an acronym would make it easier for other countries in the region to be included, according to Axios.

The Association of Middle East and North African Countries (AMENA) has been proposed as a name for the forum.

The term AMENA PD, which stands for the Association of Middle East and North African Countries Peace and Development, was proposed as an option by Morocco.

A focal point for regional multilateral cooperation in fields like water, security, climate change, economy, and health is the Negev Forum.

Foreign ministers from Israel, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco attended the inaugural Negev Forum meeting in Israel in March 2022, along with Secretary of State Tony Blinken.

Particularly in view of Israel’s enhanced influence over the previous year, Arab nations have been circumspect in their interactions with Israel and the planning of public events.