Morocco’s Belkouch Meets UN Human Rights Chief in Geneva

Geneva – Morocco’s Interministerial Delegate for Human Rights, Mohamed El Habib Belkouch, held talks Monday in Geneva with UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, on the sidelines of his participation in the 63rd session of the UN Human Rights Council (Sept. 7-Oct. 7).

The meeting, attended by Morocco’s Permanent Representative to the UN Office at Geneva, Omar Zniber, covered several issues, such as the reform of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) and other international mechanisms, Morocco’s role in following up on human rights recommendations, and emerging issues such as artificial intelligence, climate change, and development.

The discussions also reaffirmed Morocco’s commitment to human rights at the international level and its support for efforts to reform the United Nations system and for international initiatives promoting human rights, Belkouch told MAP after the meeting.

He cited in particular the Global Alliance for Human Rights, an initiative led by the Türk that brings together figures from outside the UN system, including artists, associations, and trade unions. Belkouch reaffirmed Morocco’s support for the initiative.

Belkouch highlighted the steps taken by the Interministerial Delegation for Human Rights (DIDH), notably the retreat organized in Rabat to reflect on the reform of the UPR mechanism as well as the upcoming retreat to be organized by the DIDH to reflect on the reform of other international mechanisms, whether treaty-based or related to special procedures.

Türk welcomed these efforts and said Morocco was among the pioneering countries supporting this reform process within the UN system, he added.

According to Belkouch, Türk also commended Morocco’s role in the International Network of Reporting, Implementation, and Follow-up Mechanisms (NMIRF), to which the DIDH belongs.

The two officials also exchanged views on several emerging issues currently at the center of international discussions, notably artificial intelligence, climate change, and development.

“The DIDH has a strategy enabling it to engage with these issues,” as well as with the promotion of a human rights culture, Belkouch said, noting that the delegation’s work initially involves programs to support government departments in incorporating human rights considerations into the development of sectoral policies.

“This is an essential area in which we have made significant progress and established models,” he stated, adding that the same applies to the development of general public policy, which reflects the choices of the Kingdom as set out in speeches by HM King Mohammed VI, the country’s broad policy directions and reforms, as well as the provisions of the Constitution in this area.