Morocco was elected member of the United Nations Human Rights Council for the period 2023-2025, starting January 1, 2023, in the first round and with an overwhelming majority of 178 votes, during the elections held on October 11, 2022 in New York.
This is the third term for Morocco in the Council, based in Geneva.
Morocco first entered the Council as a founding member (2006-2008), holding the post of Vice-President, then as a member of the Council between 2014 and 2016, a statement from the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
This election is first of all a vote of confidence of the international community towards the kingdom.
It also attests to the credibility of the institutional and legislative reforms launched by King Mohammed VI for the protection, respect and promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms, the same source said.
It is also testifies to the role played by Morocco, a founding member of the Human Rights Council, for its constant action to strengthen dialogue and international cooperation for the promotion of human rights.
The kingdom’s commitments to human rights have always been a continuum, at the international level, of the national dynamic in favor of democracy, the rule of law and human rights.
They are a testimony to Morocco’s firm commitment to the universal values of equality between men and women, pluralism, moderation, tolerance, and peaceful coexistence and dialogue between civilizations, cultures and religions.
Morocco’s election to the Human Rights Council, a prestigious UN body, is also the culmination of the kingdom’s constructive efforts to strengthen the Human Rights Council, in particular its leading role in the establishment of its flagship mechanism, the Universal Periodic Review.
Through this third mandate at the Human Rights Council, the kingdom of Morocco will strive to strengthen international solidarity in the promotion of human rights, the protection of fundamental freedoms, the awareness of issues related to climate change and human rights, and the promotion of equality between men and women and the fight against discrimination and all forms of inequality, as well as the defense of migrants’ rights.
The Human Rights Council, created by resolution 60/251 of the UN General Assembly, is the UN body responsible for promoting universal respect for and observance of all human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, without distinction of any kind and in a fair and equal manner.
Its 47 members are elected individually by the 193 UN member states, according to an equitable geographical distribution.
HA/fss/as/APA