Rabat – The Kingdom of Morocco has been elected, for the first time in history, to the Presidency of the United Nations’ (UN) Human Rights Council for 2024, in an organizational meeting held on January 10 in Geneva.
According to a statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, 30 out of 47 UN Human Rights Council members voted in favor of Morocco out of 47 members, while South Africa received 17 votes.
The press release stressed that the 2011 Moroccan constitution is reflected in the current wave of reforms aimed at consolidating democracy, gender equality, social and territorial justice, the effectiveness of human rights, inclusive participation, and youth empowerment.
The election of the Kingdom is also a sign of the confidence and credibility inspired by Morocco’s external action in Africa, on the international scene, and in the multilateral system, thanks to the support of many countries from all over the world, and despite Algeria and South Africa mobilizing to oppose it.
The trust expressed by the Human Rights Council recognizes Morocco’s contributions to the body’s founding development processes.
Morocco sees this as a strong signal from the international community, endorsing its constructive strategy and its cohesive leadership on key issues such as inter-religious dialogue, tolerance and the fight against racism, the right to a safe and sustainable environment, the rights of migrants, and the influence of new technologies.
The press release went on to say that the Kingdom will, during its Presidency, uphold the position it has adopted during its three mandates in the Human Rights Council, prioritizing dialogue, consensus, and consensus-building.
Thus, Morocco plans to actively pursue the development and influence of this significant body of the UN human rights system in collaboration with the members of the Council and all the Regional Groups, the press release concluded.
