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Rabat – Reflecting Morocco’s growing international reputation for diplomacy, the North African country has been elected president of the Executive Council of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in The Hague.
The decision comes after Morocco received “unanimous support given by the Group of African States Parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to the Moroccan bid.”
Morocco was elected to the post by “acclamation,” for a one-year term which will last from May 12, 2021, to May 11, 2022.
Morocco’s Ambassador to The Hague, and its permanent representative to the OPCW, Abdelouahab Bellouki, will fulfill the role.
“The Moroccan presidency of this important decision-making body enshrines Morocco’s continued commitment to the goals of the Convention and sustained cooperation with the OPCW,” reads a press statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Foreign ministry underlines that this is “evidenced by the organization in Morocco of several conferences, as well as multiple regional training courses aimed at building the capacity of representatives of African countries.”
“As a result, the OPCW ranks Morocco among the top 10 of its partners,” the statement concludes.
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Morocco has been a steadfast partner to the OPCW.
In 2017, Morocco was elected to serve as the coordinator of the African members of the organization and was re-elected for a two-year term in the Executive Council of the OPCW. Several African ambassadors asserted that the election of Morocco reflects its dynamic role within the organization and testifies to its vitality in the region.
In 2016, Morocco was elected as a member of the organization’s Confidentiality Commission.
Since the CWC entered into force in 1997, the OPCW’s work consisted of overseeing the efforts of the international community in eliminating chemical weapons. Under the disarmament treaty, nearly 98% of all declared chemical weapons stockpiles have been destroyed.
In 2013, the OPCW received the Nobel Peace Prize for its substantial efforts to rid the world of chemical weapons.
Mounia Boucetta, former Secretary of State to Morocco’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, made clear Morocco’s stance on chemical weapons, in 2018.
Morocco considers the use of chemical weapons to be a violation of not only the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) but also the Security Council’s decisions and international law.
Morocco signed the Chemical Weapons Convention in January 1993 and ratified it in December 1995. Since then, Morocco, which has never possessed chemical weapons, has fulfilled all its obligations set out in the CWC, while remaining a strong advocate for the use of chemistry for peaceful purposes.
Peaceful purposes include agricultural, industrial, medical, pharmaceutical, protective. and research purposes.
