UNSG Highlights Morocco’s Excellent Cooperation, Interaction with UN Human Rights Mechanisms

In his latest report on the Moroccan Sahara, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres highlighted Morocco’s excellent cooperation and interaction with UN human rights mechanisms as well as its efforts aimed at protecting and promoting human rights. In this regard, the UN Chief referred to the letters conveyed by Morocco to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on July 1st, 2024, July 3, 2024, July 8, 2024 and July 26, 2024, detailing the voluntary, constructive and sustained interaction in which the Kingdom is engaged with the UN human rights system, including human rights mandate holders. Mr. Guterres underlined in his report the information provided by the National Human Rights Council (CNDH) to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on July 2, 2024, focusing on its activities to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms in the Kingdom’s southern provinces, including capacity building, complaint handling and mediation. The document noted that the CNDH reported on its visits and activities in detention centers in the southern provinces, which led to an improvement in the conditions of detention of prisoners. The UN Secretary-General stressed, in his report, Morocco’s full cooperation with the thematic mandate holders of the UN special procedures. Indeed, since 2011, twelve UN mandate holders have visited Morocco, six of whom have visited the Moroccan Sahara. During the 2024-2025 period, Morocco invited six mandate holders of the special human rights procedures to visit the Kingdom, including the Moroccan Sahara, four of whom have already given their consent. The Kingdom thus remains the country having received the largest number of visits from the special human rights procedures in the region.