Rabat – Moroccan candidate Yasser Halfaoui, has been elected Vice-President of the 4th Commission in charge of decolonization by the General Assembly of the United Nations, 30 votes ahead of his Algerian counterpart. A Frank victory against the maneuvers of Algeria.
With the election of Halfaoui, Advisor to the Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of Morocco to the United Nations in New York, Morocco scored its second diplomatic achievement in one day at the United Nations after the kingdom was elected unanimously as Vice-President of the United Nations’ General Assembly, set to take effect between September 2017 and September 2018.
Halfaoui received 88 votes, 33 votes more than the Algerian candidate, demonstrating the leading role that Morocco plays at the UN as well as its seriousness and proactivity.
The last election of Morocco to the office of the commission dates back to 1970.Halfaoui’s election also spotlights Morocco’s efforts as a coordinator for the Non-Aligned Movement and the Preservation of Peace and for the peace and security that falls within the purview of this Commission.
Moreover, this election represents a victory for Moroccan diplomacy against the maneuvers of Algeria, which has used up all its means to prevent Morocco from attaining this position.
In reaction to Morocco’s candidacy, Algeria hastened to present its own candidate, although it was a member of the Bureau of the 4th Commission in 2006.
Not only did Algeria refuse to comply with the criteria of the African group, which were in favor of the Moroccan candidacy, but it also prevented a meeting of the African Nominations Committee to avoid its verdict. This was clearly unfavorable to Algeria.
By presenting its candidacy, Algeria sought to control the 4th Commission in order to implement its agenda on the issue of the Sahara, with the complicity of the President of the Commission, Ambassador of Venezuela to the United Nations.
The Venezuelan Ambassador, Raphael Ramirez, is known for his hostility towards Morocco.
The Moroccan officials at the UN remained vigilant and reacted quickly to the maneuvers and imposed its presence in the office, alongside Venezuela.
