In his address at the opening of the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) Retreat, held on November 21-22 under Morocco’s presidency of the Council, MFA Bourita recalled the Royal message delivered to participants of the international symposium in Rabat, marking the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

In this speech, the Sovereign underlined: “My firm commitment to defending and upholding human rights is second only to my keen desire to continue bolstering the rule of law and strengthening the nation’s institutions. This is a sovereign, proactive policy designed to build on achievements, while continuing to deal constructively with emerging rights issues, whether at domestic level or within the international system of human rights."

This Royal approach is based on four key principles. The first is a strategy rooted in ownership and voluntary choice, demonstrated through bold decisions and pioneering initiatives such as the Equity and Reconciliation Commission (IER), which is celebrating its 20th anniversary. The IER is a unique experience in the field of transitional justice, inspiring numerous regional and international processes, MFA Bourita emphasized.

The second foundation, he continued, focuses on continuously reconciling the universality of human rights with national particularities. He pointed out that the Royal Guidelines concerning the reform of the Family Code and the revision of its provisions are a clear example of Morocco's commitment to harmonizing the principles of Islam with the universal values enshrined in international conventions ratified by the Kingdom.

The third foundation is the firm determination to promote all human rights—political, civil, economic, social, and cultural, MFA Bourita carried on.

The fourth is based on a participatory approach, which sees the various components of Moroccan society and its active forces as key contributors in upholding the achievements of the first and second generations of human rights, while laying the groundwork for a gradual transition to the third generation of these rights. This is exemplified by the revision of the National Sustainable Development Strategy by 2030, in its initial form, he added.

Alongside the achievements made at the national level, MFA Bourita emphasized that the core principles of the Royal approach remain the central focus of Morocco's constructive contributions to the development of the international human rights system.

In this regard, he highlighted Morocco's ongoing efforts to build consensus on the basic standards governing the operation of the Human Rights Council mechanisms, particularly the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), noting that Morocco played a central role in the creation of the UPR in 2007 and subsequently its revision in 2011, as well as the Kingdom’s pioneering engagement with human rights mechanisms, through hosting 12 visits to the Council’s special procedures. This places Morocco at the forefront of countries examined under these mechanisms.

The minister also recalled Morocco's active contribution to shaping the Human Rights Council's agenda, particularly through the implementation of measures addressing emerging and pressing challenges, such as the environment and new technologies, the prevention of extremism and the fight against hate speech, human rights education, and the fight against corruption.

He also pointed out that Morocco has hosted key international processes in the field of human rights, including the 2012 Rabat Action Plan on the prohibition of calls to national, racial, or religious hatred, which incite discrimination, hostility, or violence; the 2016 Marrakech Declaration on the rights of religious minorities in the Muslim world; the 2017 Fes Action Plan on the role of religious leaders in preventing incitement to violence; as well as the 2nd World Forum on Human Rights and the first preparatory international meeting for the third edition of this Forum.

MFA Bourita further stated that this annual retreat of the Human Rights Council offers an ideal opportunity for open and responsible debate on the fundamental issues concerning the present and future of the human rights system.

In this regard, he pointed out that "we are witnessing today an excessive politicization of human rights, coupled with the erosion of international consensus on issues related to these rights, the the international community’s inability to set up norms and new consensual standards in human rights, as well as the toll the human rights system has paid due to polarizations that have caused tensions in international relations," adding that this observation "should concern us all.”

Regarding the capacity of the ongoing institutional revision of the HRC to provide responses that would preserve the credibility and effectiveness of the Council, as well as the contribution of Southern countries to shaping the values and future human rights system, rather than merely playing the role of consumers, MFA Bourita presented several proposals and ideas as contributions to the upcoming discussions.

These proposals address three key dimensions. The first focuses on the institutional aspect, emphasizing the need to strike a balance between maintaining a close link between the Human Rights Council and the United Nations General Assembly, while granting the HRC more autonomy in terms of resources and expanding its ability to self-finance and develop its expertise. He further stated that "the current institutional stability is an effective guarantor of keeping human rights issues among the most important pillars of the United Nations system."

"This depends on a bold consensus capable of elevating the Council's performance by providing it with the necessary financial and human resources to carry out its missions in the best possible way," the minister emphasized.

The second dimension concerns consolidating the HRC's accomplishments in order to prevent any outcomes that would be contrary to the intended objectives, he continued, citing two models in this regard: The first relates to the development of working methods for the Universal Periodic Review to ensure the effectiveness of follow-up processes and support countries' efforts to implement recommendations in line with their national priorities.

The second model addresses trends aimed at displacing the central role of States, which affects the integrity and credibility of the international human rights system as a whole, the minister explained, highlighting in this context the fundamental and complementary role of civil society alongside that of member States and human rights advocacy organizations.

"Aujourd’hui et demain, l’Afrique refuse de demeurer le sujet exclusif de délibérations et d’évaluations externes, et aspire à s’ériger également en acteur majeur, sur un pied d’égalité, avec les autres acteurs internationaux", a-t-il dit.

As per Morocco, MFA Bourita maintained that there are significant opportunities for cooperation, even the possibility of establishing a partnership charter between the States and civil society.

On another note, the minister stressed the need to address the historical gaps in including Southern countries, particularly African nations, in formulating international human rights frameworks.

In this respect, MFA Bourita emphasized the need for the Council's deliberations to reflect African priorities, by allowing more room for deliberations on economic, social, and cultural rights, alongside other rights.

He also underscored the importance of ensuring that the Council's work interacts more closely with the barriers preventing progress in development, while creating a healthy environment and strengthening access to new technologies.

"Today and tomorrow, Africa refuses to remain the exclusive topic of external deliberations and assessments, and aspires to also become a major actor, on an equal footing with other international players," he stated.

Regarding the development of capacities, MFA Bourita called for moving beyond traditional concepts by recognizing the efficiency and effectiveness of African local experiences and solutions. He praised the efforts made by the Network of African National Human Rights Institutions in training, education, and advocacy, as well as the African Network for the Prevention of Torture, which was established in 2023.

He pointed out that the discussions during this retreat should not be seen as an end per se, noting that the conclusions of this meeting should rather serve as the foundation for a follow-up process aimed at reaching broader consensus, with the goal of revising the status of the Human Rights Council by the General Assembly in 2026.