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Join on Telegram Rabat – The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) today announced postponing UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights Olivier De Schutter’s visit to Morocco.
De Schutter’s visit was postponed “at the request of the [Moroccan] Government following a lack of agreement over the itinerary,” indicated OHCHR in a statement. The UN official was set to visit the North African country this month between December 6 and 19 to examine the Moroccan government’s efforts to combat poverty.
“Special Rapporteurs are independent human rights experts,” noted the statement, adding that “governments that invite Special Rapporteurs to visit are required to guarantee and facilitate their freedom to choose whom to meet and which places to travel.”
De Schutter is currently in contact with Moroccan authorities and has reaffirmed his willingness to reach a mutually agreeable plan to visit the country at a later date, added the statement.
In addition, he extended his thanks and gratitude to everyone involved in arranging the visit and planning meetings, including representatives of Morocco’s civil society organizations.
Read also: UN Report: 5.6% of Morocco’s Population Suffer from Undernourishment
Last month, the UN expert highlighted the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and inflation on Morocco, noting its severe disruptions to the progress achieved in terms of poverty.
My visit “will be an opportunity to hear and learn more, and provide recommendations to the government on how it can protect the most vulnerable from these shocks,” De Schutter added.
COVID-19’s repercussions with inflation have induced extreme poverty and affected the living standard of millions across the world.
A recent study by Morocco’s High Commission for Planning (HCP) indicated that poverty and vulnerability are impacting 3.2 million additional people across the country.
Published on October 2022, the report uncovered that more than 2 million people suffer from vulnerability due to the COVID-19 pandemic and inflation.
