Morocco to Host Landmark UN Human Rights Council Retreat on Nov. 21-22 in Rabat

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Morocco is set to host a Retreat of the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) on November 21-22 in Rabat. This event will take place under Morocco’s presidency of the Council and marks the first time such a meeting is held in the MENA region and only the second on the African continent. According to a statement released by the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, the “Rabat Retreat” aims to create a space for dialogue to foster reflections on the process of reviewing the status of the Human Rights Council by the General Assembly, in line with the resolution that established the Council. This retreat will provide an opportunity to highlight proposals from the presidency regarding the rationalization and efficiency of the HRC, issues currently being discussed under the guidance of numerous co-facilitators. It will also emphasize coordination among UN bodies with human rights mandates in Geneva and New York to ensure greater coherence in the UN’s human rights efforts. Launched in 2010 in Bangkok, this format has since been adopted by countries that have chaired the Human Rights Council, including Germany, Slovenia, Senegal, Switzerland, and Austria. These retreats have proven valuable for fostering in-depth discussions, which have notably led to the adoption of the UN General Assembly resolution on the functioning of the HRC. The retreats offer successive HRC presidents a unique opportunity to engage with diverse stakeholders to identify and explore solutions for enhancing the Council’s effectiveness and efficiency. These meetings delve deeply into current challenges, gather diverse perspectives, and propose pathways for improvement that contribute to optimizing the HRC’s functioning and impact in the field of human rights. These gatherings, which bring together member states, regional group coordinators, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and representatives of civil society, will enable broad and in-depth exchanges of views, the statement concludes.