Morocco, HCCH Ink Agreement to Host Regional Office for Africa
Rabat - A headquarters agreement relating to the establishment of the Regional Office of the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH) for Africa in Morocco was inked on Monday in Rabat between the Kingdom's government and this international organization.
Signed by Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates Nasser Bourita and HCCH Secretary General Christophe Bernasconi, the agreement is a major step forward in cooperation between the Kingdom and the Hague Conference on Private International Law.
“This office will help promote the legal cooperation instruments developed by the Conference, particularly in the fields of family law, the protection of children, transnational disputes and the authentication of public documents,” Bernasconi emphasized. The signing ceremony was attended by Director of Civil Affairs and Legal and Judicial Professions at Morocco’s Ministry of Justice Rachid Ouadifi, in his capacity as central authority for HCCH conventions and legal instruments.
A member of the HCCH since 1993, Morocco is party to several of the organization’s conventions, and has stood out for its active commitment to the implementation of these instruments, he recalled, hailing the Kingdom’s “recognized expertise” in the field.
“Morocco, with its experience and expertise in the implementation of HCCH conventions, will play a leading role in the animation of this office, the third of its kind after those established in Latin America and Asia-Pacific”, he affirmed.
The HCCH SG expressed his deep gratitude to Moroccan authorities for their steadfast support and commitment to strengthening international legal cooperation.
He also expressed his wish to return to Morocco soon for the official inauguration of the Office, reiterating his commitment to working alongside the Kingdom to promote legal cooperation on the continent.
Last March, Morocco was unanimously selected to host HCCH’s Africa Regional Office headquarters. This historic decision was taken at the Council on General Affairs and Policy (CGAP), held on March 4 -7 at the Academy’s headquarters in The Hague.
Founded in 1893, the HCCH is the oldest intergovernmental organization based in The Hague. It seeks to unify the rules of private international law through the adoption of international conventions, over forty of which have been drawn up to date with its 91 member states and the European Union.
Editorial team/le7tv
