In a statement to the press following meeting with President of the CESE, Nizar Baraka, Mrs. Pillay stressed that she "expects the final report of the Council to mark a break with past policies," adding that this initiative seeks to "lay the foundation for a real opening and involve local population in the development process."

The UN official praised the "new development model of the southern provinces developed by the CESE, following wide consultations and greater transparency ," adding that the High Commission "will continue to study this model."

In a similar statement, Mr. Baraka said the meeting was an opportunity to present the new model of development of the southern provinces , designed through a participatory approach based on the need to improve the living conditions of the population and promote good governance and the development of these provinces under advanced regionalization.

In this interview, he explained, the focus was on the possibilities of this new model in terms of access to rights provided by the Constitution of 2011, which allows equitable access of citizens, especially young people and women to those rights.

Pillay is currently undertaking a working visit to Morocco, the first since she took office in 2008 as High Commissioner of the United Nations for Human Rights.

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