NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL: HANDING OVER OF POWERS TO CNDH PRESIDENT AND SECRETARY GENERAL

President and Secretary General of the former Advisory Council on Human Rights, Mr. Ahmed Herzenni and Mr. Mahjoub El Haiba, respectively, handed over powers to CNDH President and Secretary General Mr. Driss El Yazami and Mr. Mohammed Sebbar, during a ceremony at the headquarters of the Council, on Monday 7 March 2011.

During this ceremony, Mr. Herzenni praised the commitment of the staff of the Council and their contribution to the success of the Advisory Council’s work and functions. He also praised their immediate readiness and competencies.

Mr. Herzenni said that Mr. El Yazami is competent and will succeed in his new mission. He has a great experience in the field of human rights, he added.

CNDH Secretary General Mr. Mohammed Sebbar, Mr. Herzenni said, is "one of the leading elements of civil society", which is a "real added value to the Council."

For his part, Mr. Driss El Yazami, President of the National Human Rights Council, said that the creating Dahir (royal decree) of the Council is a road map for the Council’s work. He didn’t fail to praise the contribution of Mr. Herzenni and Mr. El Haiba, along with other officials from the Council, to its preparation. From this perspective, he added, they will always be among us.

Mr. El Yazami indicated that he is committed to the implementation of the initiated projects, such as the National Plan of Action on Democracy and Human Rights, the Citizenship Platform for the promotion of human rights culture, the Community (collective) Reparation Program, etc. The protection and promotion of human rights requires the mobilization of as much political, institutional and civil society stakeholders as possible, in addition to the interaction and openness to new aspirations and ambitions, He said.

Mr. El Haiba, for his part, praised the competencies and qualities of Mr. El Yazami and Mr. Sebbar, expressing his confidence that they, in cooperation with the Council’s officials, will perform their duties and functions successfully.

Mr. Sebbar highlighted and praised the achievements of the Advisory Council on Human Rights, stressing that the new perspective of the Council is an extension of the previous experience. We are committed to meet the expectations of all citizens and stakeholders, he added. He called on all CNDH staff to fully grasp the provisions of the creating law and the new missions and powers of the Council.