Hilale meets in New York with UN Secretary-General on the responsibility to protect agenda

Morocco’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Omar Hilale, was received in New York, along with his counterparts from Guatemala and Luxembourg, in their capacity as co-chairs of the UN Group of Friends on the Responsibility to Protect (R2P), by the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres.

During this meeting, which took place on Thursday, discussions focused on the R2P agenda and the prospect of commemorating, this year, the 20th anniversary of its adoption by the United Nations at the 2005 World Summit, as a cardinal point for protection against mass atrocities.

On this occasion, Hilale informed the Secretary-General of the wish of the Group of Friends’ members on R2P to organize, during the high-level week of the 80th Session of the UN General Assembly, a signature event to mark the 20th anniversary of the historic adoption of the R2P agenda.

This event could serve as a platform for exchange between Member States and stakeholders to identify and respond to early warnings, honor their legal commitments relating to the protection of civilian populations, promote coexistence and social cohesion, strengthen socio-economic inclusion, place children, youth and women at the center of atrocities prevention efforts, and combat identity-based intolerance and hate speech.

In this perspective, Ambassador Hilale informed the Secretary-General of the holding in Morocco of the very first regional meeting of Africa on the Responsibility to Protect, which will be organized jointly with the Office of the Special Adviser to the Secretary-General of the United Nations on the Responsibility to Protect.

This regional meeting in Rabat will precede those that will follow in America, Asia and Europe. The synthesis of their conclusions will feed into the document that will crown the celebration of the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the R2P agenda.

The holding of this African regional meeting in Morocco confirms the central place that Morocco holds within the United Nations, under the enlightened leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, for the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms. The UN Secretary-General welcomed this initiative which contributes to the national ownership of the responsibility to protect and instructed his secretariat to provide the necessary support.

The meeting was also an opportunity to discuss with the Secretary-General ways and means to broaden international support for the R2P Agenda and strengthen its effective implementation.

Indeed, the priorities of this agenda, including national ownership, prevention at the national and global levels, effective engagement of local actors and especially the promotion of the regional approach remain essential to address the risk factors specific to the atrocity situation and ensure compliance with the mandates, programs and related initiatives of the United Nations, including programs relating to children, youth, peace and security and sustainable development.