We reject the recommendations of the judiciary committee regarding the Moroccan Sahara, as it does not fall within its jurisdiction
alalam24, The recent observations and recommendations issued by the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, relating to the implementation of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination in Morocco, are entirely and specifically rejected by us. This is particularly true with regard to the issue of the Moroccan Sahara, as they are both irrelevant and outside the mandate of the committee.
Our commitment to national issues, notably the Moroccan Sahara question, stems from the commitment of the Kingdom of Morocco to irrevocably carry out the provisions of the convention in line with the nature of Moroccan society. Therefore, we regret that the observations and recommendations of the committee did not reflect the quality and content of the interactive dialogue.
We express our concern regarding the approach adopted by the United Nations committee in formulating its observations and recommendations, which failed to take into account the detailed responses and clarifications, as well as supplementary written information provided by the Moroccan delegation, both during and after the interactive dialogue sessions.
This indicates that the final observations and recommendations were prepared prior to the interactive dialogue, especially those related to the Western Sahara contained in paragraphs 19 and 20. These pertain to the absence of a political solution to the issue of the Moroccan Sahara, targeting of activists and human rights defenders, student movements, and organizations advocating for self-determination, as well as claims of obstacles to the exercise of freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly.
We affirm that the Moroccan initiative for an expanded self-rule for the inhabitants of the southern regions of the kingdom is an integral part of its approach to build a modern and democratic state that considers the respect for human rights as a core objective and a means to achieve its entity and work towards the completion of their unity.
Furthermore, we emphasize that the exercise of freedom of opinion, expression, association, and peaceful assembly is guaranteed by the constitution, protected by law, and practiced equally by all citizens throughout the national territory.
