UN General Assembly
2013

Allow me to convey my gratitude to UNESCO for formally condemning the destruction of the global heritage sites and mausoleums in Timbuktu and Gao. At that time, Morocco was President of the Security Council. I would therefore like to thank His Majesty King Mohammed VI for the very significant contributions made by the Kingdom of Morocco, which right from the start of the occupation of Mali condemned the act of aggression to which we had fallen victim, and offered our people emergency humanitarian assistance. This is also the right time and place to thank France and its President, François Hollande, for launching Operation Serval, a life-saving operation, that halted the advance of jihadists towards the south of Mali. Had it not been for that intervention, I would not be standing here before the Assembly today. Allow me to also convey my gratitude to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the African Union and to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation for their concern and continuing commitment to seeking a lasting solution to the Malian