The Philosophy of Values in the Thought of Mahdi Elmandjra

This article aims to explore a concept previously overlooked in studies addressing the thought of Mahdi Elmandjra, namely, the philosophy of values. The research traces his publications to extract references related to this theme, focusing on his dedicated work, The Value of Values. In this book, Elmandjra addresses the problematic relation-ship between the Global North and the Global South, asserting that such a relationship cannot be built on solid foundations as long as the North views the South with condescension, refuses to respect its values, and insists that Southern countries adopt Western values and culture as a prerequisite for respect. Elmandjra also interprets the First Gulf War as a civilisational conflict waged by the West, not only for military and economic reasons but also to eradi-cate the values of the "other", those divergent from Western values. Hence, he calls for ethical engagement and mu-tual respect for values in North–South relations as essential conditions for global peace.