Assahafa.com
Morocco’s Interministerial Delegate for Human Rights, Mohamed El Habib Belkouche, held bilateral talks on Wednesday in Geneva with the Permanent Representatives of Paraguay and Portugal to the United Nations Office in Geneva, focusing on strengthening cooperation within the framework of the International Network of National Mechanisms for Implementation, Reporting and Follow-up in Human Rights (NMIRFs).
The discussions highlighted the three countries’ shared determination to enhance the visibility and effectiveness of this innovative mechanism while preparing for upcoming milestones, including the network’s next forum to be hosted by Morocco and high-level meetings of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.
“These meetings are part of the coordination efforts among members of the Executive Committee of the International NMIRFs Network,” Belkouche told the press. He added that the talks also focused on preparations for the network’s upcoming forum, which Morocco will host, with the ambition of making it “a more ambitious edition than previous ones” through the participation of a larger number of countries.
According to the Interministerial Delegate, the growing role of the NMIRFs Network within the United Nations system and the Human Rights Council, particularly in supporting the implementation of recommendations through public policies, underscores the importance of expanding the initiative.
Belkouche said that Morocco’s proposals were “very well received,” noting that the objective is to make this stage “a qualitative step toward the institutionalization of the network, giving it stronger international visibility and establishing a dedicated secretariat responsible for coordinating activities and providing services to member states.”
For his part, Portugal’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, João António Mira Gomes, praised what he described as “a very good initiative” by Morocco that brought together the network’s core group, composed of Morocco, Portugal, and Paraguay.
According to the Portuguese diplomat, discussions with Belkouche focused not only on expanding the network but also on ways to increase its visibility and ensure the regular organization of meetings in support of this objective.
Paraguay’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, Mario Raúl Cano Ricciardi, said the discussions helped consolidate “a very concrete alliance between Morocco, Portugal, and Paraguay” around the NMIRFs Network.
He explained that the three countries agreed to give “greater visibility to this Network,” including by promoting it during the next session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva in September or at the Council’s February session, which will feature a high-level meeting.
Source: map
