Morocco has secured the presidency of the UN Human Rights Council after a heated contest with South Africa, which challenged its rival’s human rights record.
The Moroccan ambassador, Omar Zniber, won 30 votes out of 47 in a secret ballot in Geneva on Wednesday, while the South African envoy, Mxolisi Nkosi, received 17 votes.
The vote exposed a rare rift in the African group, which usually tries to reach a consensus on who should lead the council. It was Africa’s turn to nominate a candidate for the one-year term.
A Dispute over Western Sahara
The main source of tension between the two countries is the disputed territory of Western Sahara, where Morocco claims sovereignty and faces a separatist movement backed by Algeria. South Africa supports the right of the Sahrawi people to self-determination and has hosted several events to promote their cause.
South Africa also accused Morocco of violating human rights in Western Sahara and other parts of the kingdom, such as the Rif region, where protests erupted in 2016 over social and economic grievances.
Nkosi told Reuters before the vote that Morocco was the “antithesis of what the council stands for” and that its election would undermine the body’s credibility.
Morocco, on the other hand, said it had the support of many countries around the world and accused South Africa and Algeria of trying to sabotage its bid.
“The Kingdom’s election… demonstrates the trust and the credibility inspired by Morocco’s external actions…,” the Moroccan foreign ministry said in a statement.
The Role and Challenges of the Council
The UN Human Rights Council is the only intergovernmental body dedicated to protecting human rights worldwide. It meets several times a year and can increase scrutiny of countries’ human rights records and authorize investigations.
However, the council has also faced criticism for allowing some of the worst human rights violators to join its ranks and influence its decisions. Some of its members, such as China, Russia, and Saudi Arabia, have been accused of using their positions to shield themselves and their allies from scrutiny.
Morocco’s new role as the council’s president will require it to uphold the highest standards of human rights and to ensure the council’s effectiveness and impartiality.
Rights groups have urged Morocco to respect the rights of human rights defenders and civil society activists, especially those who engage with the UN mechanisms.
“In particular, Morocco must refrain from intimidating or carrying out reprisals against human rights defenders engaging with the U.N.,” said Tess McEvoy, the Co-Director of the New York office of the International Service for Human Rights advocacy group.
The international community has called on Morocco to use its leadership to address some of the most pressing human rights issues in the world, such as the ongoing conflicts in Syria, Yemen, and Myanmar, the global refugee crisis, and the impact of climate change on human rights.
As the world faces unprecedented challenges and threats to human rights, Morocco has a unique opportunity to make a positive difference and to show its commitment to the universal values of dignity, justice, and freedom.
Source: ReutersÂ
