Morocco Vice-President of the UN GA and of the 4th Committee
Morocco was brilliantly elected today by the UN General Assembly, against Algeria, to the post of Vice-President of the 4th Committee, in charge of decolonization. This victory comes after election of the Vice-Presidency of the General Assembly.
The Moroccan candidate, Yasser Halfaoui, Advisor to the Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of Morocco to the United Nations in New York, obtained 88 votes against 58 for the Algerian candidate.
The choice of the Moroccan candidate, to the detriment of the Algerian diplomat, represents a vote of confidence in favor of Morocco, thus confirming its leading role, its seriousness and its progression within the United Nations generally, and Fourth Committee in particular. The last election of Morocco dates back to 1970.
Moreover, this result enshrines the efforts of Morocco as coordinator of the Non Aligned Movement for the maintenance of peace and security issues that fall within the purview of this Committee.
It is also a victory for Moroccan diplomacy against the relentlessness of Algeria, which has used all means and maneuvers to prevent Morocco from entering this post.
In reaction to Morocco's candidacy, Algeria hastened to present its own candidate, although it was member of the Bureau of the 4th Committee in 2006.
Not only did Algeria refuse to comply with the criteria of the African group, which were in favor of the Moroccan candidacy, it also prevented a meeting of the African Nominations Committee to avoid its verdict, which was unfavorable.
By sending the issue to the General Assembly, Algeria believed it could compensate its lack of support within the African group. It was fatal mistake, the General Assembly having decided in favor of Morocco with more than 30 votes.
The objective of Algeria's candidacy was to lock the 4th Committee in order to implement its agenda relating to the Sahara, with the complicity of the President, who is the Ambassador of Venezuela to the United Nations, Mr. Raphael Ramirez, known for his hostility towards Morocco.
The vigilance and swift reaction of Morocco allowed this plan to be thwarted. The Kingdom has managed to counter the maneuvers of its opponents and impose its presence in the office of the 4th Committee, alongside Venezuela.
-News on Western Sahara issue / Corcas-