Morocco was re-elected, Monday in Paris, to the Executive Council of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO, during the 31st session of the IOC Assembly, held virtually from on 15-24 June.
At the Executive Council of the IOC, Morocco will serve for the second consecutive time as Vice-Chair of the Electoral Group V of the IOC, which includes Arab and African countries, the Permanent Delegation of the Kingdom of Morocco to UNESCO said in a statement.
The Moroccan candidacy, which received unanimous backing, was submitted by Karim Hilmi, oceanographer and Director of Research at the National Institute of Fisheries Research (INRH).
The re-election of Morocco to the vice-chair of this Commission was preceded by the re-election of Ariel Troisi, an Argentinian expert, for a second term as Chair of the IOC Executive Council.
Other countries elected under Electoral Group V are Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Gabon, Guinea, Libya, Kenya and Saudi Arabia.
The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC) works with its Member States to foster international cooperation and coordination of programs in marine research and observation, conservation and protection of marine environments, risk mitigation, and capacity building to further understand and ensure effective management of ocean and coastal zone resources.
“The re-election of Morocco to the vice-chair of the Executive Council is a recognition of its achievement of the objectives of the Decade of Ocean by member states of the Commission,” the Permanent Delegation of the Kingdom of Morocco to the UN organization explained. It is also a “recognition of the leading role played, in this regard, by HRH Princess Lalla Hasna, Chairwoman of the Foundation Mohammed VI for the Environment, who was named sponsor of the Alliance for the Decade of the Ocean.”
The re-election of Morocco “clearly translates the trust, respect and esteem that the Kingdom of Morocco enjoys within UNESCO and among its Member States,” the statement concluded.
