Rabat – The Group of African Ambassadors to the United Nations in New York has re-elected for the third year Morocco’s permanent representative to the UN, Omar Hilale, as Vice-President of the Executive Board of UNICEF.
In addition to Morocco’s ambassador to the UN, the four other new members of the UNICEF executive board include representatives of Lithuania, South Korea, Costa Rica, and New Zealand.
The board’s primary mission is to assess UNICEF’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and take critical decisions to readjust the organization’s program to fit the demands of the pandemic while advocating for children’s rights.
Omar Hilale’s mission within UNICEF also includes the inspection of the UN Children’s Fund, which provides crucial support for Africa’s fast-growing population of children.
Omar Hilale’s nomination precedes decisive deadlines the UNICEF Executive Board has set for 2021, particularly the development of the UN organization’s strategic plan for 2022-2025.
UNICEF operates in 190 countries and has a branch in Morocco. UNICEF Morocco works in collaboration with the Ministry of Health to reduce child mortality among rural and low-income populations.
Children of these demographics are more likely to die before their fifth birthday, compared to those in urban areas, according to the National Survey of Population and Family Health (ENPSF).
In June, UNICEF warned that mortality rates among children below the age of five in the MENA region could increase by 40% by the end of 2020, due to low levels of public spending on healthcare systems.
UNICEF issued a report in February 2018 on newborn deaths around the world, putting Morocco fourth among the Maghreb countries, with a neonatal mortality rate of 17.8 per 1,000 live births.
UNICEF also works with the Moroccan government on education outcomes, child safety, and social inclusion.
