Andean Parliament Components Reiterate Their Firm Position Regarding National Cause

Rep. Fatine El Ghali (Group of the National Rally of Independents), a member of the National Representation at the Andean Parliament, participated in the proceedings of the January Session of the Andean Parliament held in Bogota, Colombia, from January 25 to 27, 2024.

The Session included meetings of standing and ad hoc committees, as well as a plenary sitting.

On the first day, the Moroccan Representative participated in meetings of the Foreign Policy and International Affairs Committee and the Education, Culture, and Science Committee. Rep. Fatine El Ghali also met with representatives of the Andean Parliament member States (Colombia, Ecuador, Chile, Peru, and Bolivia) at the Kingdom of Morocco's office within the Seat of the Andean Parliament.

During the bilateral talks, at the forefront of which the meeting with Hon. Cristina Reyes Hidalgo, the President of the Andean Parliament, the latter and other members of the organization reiterated their support for the national cause. They also praised the election of the Kingdom of Morocco to the Presidency of the UN Human Rights Council and noted that this election is not only a turning point for the Kingdom, but also a matter of pride for all the Andean Parliament’s components as the Kingdom is an observer member of the said organization.

Besides, the two parties discussed several areas of cooperation, particularly student exchange and scholarships.

For her part, the Moroccan Representative expressed appreciation for the strong ties between the Moroccan and Andean Parliaments and underscored the Moroccan Parliament’s strong desire to continue working together with this regional parliamentary institution to serve the mutual interests, as well as its readiness to support the projects launched by the Andean Parliament, particularly in education and agricultural research.

Rep. Fatine El Ghali noted that the presidency of the UN Human Rights Council by the Kingdom of Morocco would help to entrench human rights values and build a more just and equitable environment for all. She also noted that the Kingdom’s mandate in the Council will serve as an opportunity to cooperate with all the components of the Andean Parliament in reinforcing and promoting human rights principles.

The Moroccan Representative attended the plenary sitting in the evening. The sitting featured the discussion of several themes, including the debate and vote on the Framework Bill regarding the prevention and eradication of child labor in the Andean region, and the presentation and discussion of a draft plan for the institutional development of the Andean Parliament in 2024.