![Spanish Representatives Oppose Morocco’s Joint Bid with Spain and Portugal Spain’ Prime Minister proposed a trio bid with Morocco and Portugal to host the 2030 World Cup; but the idea does not appear to be popular with Spanish politicians. The representatives of two Spanish political parties, the People’s Party and the Citizens-Party, have said they do not want Spain to submit a joint candidacy with Portugal and Morocco for the 2030 World Cup. In a meeting organized by the National Federation of Sports Facilities Entrepreneurs (FNEID) in Madrid, the People’s party representative, Vicente Azpitarte dismissively spoke about Spain joining a trio with Morocco and Portugal to organize the World Cup. Azpitarte specifically wondered whether Spain would get any advantages from teaming up with the two countries, t Spanish news outlet Iusport reported on Wednesday. The Citizens-Party representative, Roberto Nunez, agreed with Azpitarte. “We do not intend to organize a World Cup with other countries. Spain has more than enough capacity [to organize the World Cup], it is a country that has already organized a World Cup, and we do not understand that proposal,” Nunez said. The adviser of United Podemos, Oscar Penas, stated that he does not clearly see why “the priority is to organize a World Cup or an Olympiad at this time.” Morocco and Spain cooperate on a number of issues, ranging from security and migration to trade and education. On November 18, the Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, arrived in Morocco for a first visit since his election to premiership. During his visit, Sanchez proposed to both Head of Government Saad Eddine El Othmani and King Mohammed VI a joint bid for the 2030 World Cup. “We are launching a joint message, which is that this will be a bid between two continents. The King of Morocco is receptive and we’re going to work on it with Portugal. We are very excited about it,” Sanchez said.](https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/ABL-Launches-in-Casablanca-Becoming-Africa’s-First-Aircraft-Leaser-180x135.jpeg "ABL Launches in Casablanca, Becoming Africa’s First Aircraft Leaser")
Activists are urging Morocco to vote in favor of joining an international agreement banning executions during the upcoming UN session.
Rabat – Although Morocco has not executed an individual since 1993, some human rights groups say the de facto abolition of the death penalty is not enough.
The Moroccan Organization of Human Rights (OMDH), and the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty (WCADP) are urging Morocco to join an international agreement ending capital punishment. Morocco still maintains the death penalty as a lawful practice, and reports estimate there are at least 95 people currently on death row, according to a report from Cornell.
Morocco had six chances prior to 2018 to join the UN moratorium banning the practice,but each time the country chose to abstain from the vote. This angered activists who cite the country’s constitution as proof the practice is immoral and should be ended.
Though the vote to join the agreement was scheduled for December 13, activists managed to postpone Morocco’s official vote until December 19, giving them an opportunity to repeat their pleas to the government, according to news outlets.
Globally, capital punishment is steadily declining as more arguments emerge against its cruelty, as well as its statistical failure to deter future crimes.
Currently, Egypt is the only country in North Africa to still carry out executions, reports Amnesty International. Even though the other countries are abstaining from executing criminals, no country in North Africa has legally abolished the practice yet.
Read Also: Egyptian Courts Overturn Death Sentences for 149 Muslim Brotherhood Members
About 60 percent of the world’s population live in countries where the death penalty is still legal. The Huffington Post reports that powerful nations like the US, China, India, and Pakistan are the top executors. However, activists still hold out hope that things will change. Amnesty International Secretary-General Salil Shetty commented that as more countries have abolished the practice “the isolation of the world’s remaining executing countries could not be starker.”
For Morocco, banning capital punishment could potentially have benefits in the political realm. As Morocco looks to become a more involved member of the international community both economically and politically, joining the growing team of abolitionist countries will make Morocco a pioneer among North Africa and a leader of human rights globally and accomplishing something a developed country like the US has still failed to do.
