CCDH President Receives United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

The President of the Advisory Council on Human Rights, Mr. Ahmed Herzenni received the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Mr. Antonio Guterres, on September 10, 2009 following his visit to the region.

This visit is aligned with the objectives of strengthening relations of cooperation between the CCDH and the HCR, according to Mr. Herzenni at this meeting. In this context, the CCDH President emphasized the efforts undertaken by Morocco to meet its international commitments, particularly related to the ratification of the 1956 Geneva Convention on Refugees and the 1967 Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees. Morocco is currently facing numerous challenges which it will have to take up with the support of Moroccan and foreign partners. In the process, he stressed the need to monitor data and information relating to refugees, and to have a comprehensive vision of their conditions and needs. This explains the interest in creating an institutional structure, which shall be responsible for examining applications for asylum and determination of refugee status based on specific criteria. There are other challenges ahead, said Mr. Herzenni, namely, improving the legal and institutional framework of refugees, and bringing this framework into compliance with international human rights standards.

This meeting was also an opportunity for the CCDH President to discuss the alarming situation of Moroccan citizens detained in the Tindouf camps, stressing the need for the host country, Algeria, to assume its responsibilities in this regard. "The continued confinement of these communities and their exploitation as a means of pressure constitute a blatant violation of international humanitarian law," he said, in reference to the continuing violations of human rights in the Tindouf camps.

In this context, Mr. Herzenni highlighted the need for a census of the camp populations, and for the HCR to carry out this operation according to international standards, in order to have a clear vision of their needs, according to accurate and precise data and information. "We are facing a major problem, since we are unaware of their number and whether the host country offers them the necessary protection… we would be relieved if the HCR succeeded in convincing the host country to meet their needs…" said the CCDH President.

Mr. Antonio Guterres stressed the good relations between Morocco and the HCR, considering that the CCDH plays a crucial role in strengthening cooperation between Morocco and the UN. He also acknowledged the initiatives of CCDH to open the debate on asylum, emphasizing the importance of an adequate legislation adapted to Morocco's engagements, which sets the criteria for determining refugee status and serves as a tool to ensure the protection of refugees.

As regards Moroccan citizens detained in Tindouf, Mr Guterres expressed his conviction that "the census of refugees in the camps cannot undermine the political settlement, if it occurs."

The High Commissioner of the United Nations also raised the issue of illegal immigration and the consequent problems. He said in this connection that "the matter of importance is to encourage legal immigration to prevent illegal immigration," adding that "the HCR does not support mechanisms that make the countries of the south solely responsible for the protection of migrants and refugees" he said.

These talks were conducted in the presence of Mr. Omar Hilale, Permanent Representative of Morocco to the UN Office at Geneva, and Mr. Mahjoub El Haiba, CCDH Secretary General, as well as several CCDH members.