The Advocate General at the Court of Cassation, Advisor to the Presidency of the Public Prosecutor's Office, Jamila Sedqi, who spoke on the 2nd day of this international conference, highlighted the actions taken by Morocco to fight against cybercrime and human trafficking.

The Presidency of the Public Prosecutor's Office monitors all cases related to cybercrime with the Prosecutor General's Office at the various courts of the Kingdom, said Sedqi who presented the outline of the strategy adopted by Morocco in the fight against this type of crime.

The Advocate General at the Court of Cassation stressed that the Presidency of the Public Prosecutor's Office also ensures the implementation of Morocco's commitments under the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime.

This convention provides for "the criminalization of a number of behaviors ranging from illegal access and undermining the integrity of data and systems to fraud related to computers and child pornography, criminal law tools to investigate cybercrime cases and collect and secure electronic evidence of any crime, and efficient international cooperation."

Sedqi also reiterated the determination of the Presidency of the Public Prosecutor's Office to implement the national criminal policy in this area through capacity building of its judges in view of the evolution of cybercrime.

Addressing the fight against crime and care of victims, Sedqi stressed that the issues of human trafficking are the subject of special attention of the Presidency of the Public Prosecutor's Office while putting the fight against this kind of crime in the center of concerns for the implementation of the criminal policy, and cooperation programs with international and national actors concerned with this issue.

This two-day conference placed under the theme "Effective mechanisms of response to Emerging Crimes and Organized Transnational Crime in Africa: Experiences and challenges of States" was an opportunity for Ms. Sedqi to also highlight the efforts of Morocco in the fight against terrorism and money laundering.

The closing ceremony of this international conference was marked by the presence of Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta.

"NHRIs' role has evolved. They have become both providers and transmitters of information, including through direct contact with migrants and civil society," said Bouayach at a round-table discussion held as part of the 1st Forum to review the implementation of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, known as the Marrakech Compact.

Bouayach, who is participating in this conclave in her capacity as Chair of the Network of African National Human Rights Institutions (NANHRI) Working Group on Migration and Vice-Chair of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI), recalled that NHRIs have spared no effort to promote access to fair and law-based information during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Their good practices have been shared through a platform created by our Global Alliance of NHRIs, called FUSE", she said during this round-table discussion co-chaired by the Ambassador Permanent Representative of Morocco to the UN, Omar Hilale and the Head of the State Migration Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Vusal Huseynov.

She also noted that the CNDH has organized campaigns in different African languages, including Lingala and Wolof, to accompany migrants, facing the threat of COVID-19, while initiating advocacy and consultations with the media community for the dissemination of institutional information on migration.

Reiterating the commitment of African NHRIs to actively interact with the various international and regional mechanisms, and in particular the African Migration Observatory, the President of the CNDH also expressed the concern of NHRIs regarding the "dissemination of false information hindering safe, orderly and regular migration, feeding on the vulnerabilities of certain populations."

African NHRIs "note a lack of predictability of information circulating due to the constant and abrupt changes in policies and laws relating to migration," she said, noting that this is "inconsistent" with the Marrakech Pact's Goal 3.

Bouayach also noted that relevant, accurate and adequate information on migration, in its various aspects, whether legislative, social, economic but also political and cultural, as well as on reception mechanisms and access procedures, are crucial data for the protection of migrants, especially against the risks of exploitation, abuse and labor.

"The availability and access to information for migrants are not only technical tools, but must be designed as tools for prevention against exploitation, tools for protection against violations and promotion of the right of access to information," she said.

Recalling the "major" role of NHRIs, especially at the time of hearings and direct reception of migrants and to provide answers to the requests of migrants, she stressed the importance of establishing, or strengthening where appropriate, "effective, independent and pluralistic" NHRIs "with a broad mandate and adequate resources."

Bouayach also considered it essential to take into consideration climate challenges, insisting at the same time on the need to take up the emerging challenge of digitization to prevent xenophobic speeches and protect migrants from acts of racism and discrimination in all their forms.

Research and raids have led to the arrest of the first suspect in Ahfir, in flagrant possession of 8,853 ecstasy tablets, while two others were apprehended in Douar Achliha. The Algerian was, however, arrested in Oujda, said a National Police (DGSN) statement.

In addition to the ecstasy tablets, policemen seized two cars, one of which is a four-wheel drive, and a sum of MAD 205,600 suspected to be the income of this criminal activity, the same source specifies.

Preliminary data from the investigation, the statement continued, revealed that the ecstasy tablets were transported from outside Morocco with the aim of selling them in the eastern region; a mission that was entrusted to the Algerian citizen.

The four defendants were placed in custody to clarify the circumstances of this case, identify psychotropics trafficking routes to Morocco and determine the regional and international ramifications of this transnational criminal network, concludes the statement.

Morocco's Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Omar Hilale, highlighted, on Wednesday in New York, the humanistic vision adopted by Morocco in the field of migration under the farsighted leadership of HM King Mohammed VI.

These statements came during a round-table discussion co-chaired by the Moroccan ambassador, which was held as part of the 1st Forum to review the implementation of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, adopted in Marrakech in 2018.

"Morocco's good practices in migration, initiated in accordance with the humanistic vision of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, are part of a concrete and measurable logic," the Moroccan diplomat further stressed.

During this meeting devoted to objectives 1, 3, 7, 17 and 23 of the Marrakech Pact, Hilale said that in this regard and in accordance with the 1st objective of the Pact, Morocco carries a discourse of truth, based on knowledge, data, evidence and relevant best practices.

He also noted, during the meeting he co-chaired with the Head of the National Migration Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan Vusal Huseynov, that in line with the 3rd objective of the Covenant, the "relevance of our action can not be acquired without a calm exchange of reliable information."

"Morocco refuses to sacrifice the nexus-development-migration in favor of a strictly security approach," he noted, adding that Morocco, faithful to the achievement of Goal 7, addresses the vulnerabilities of migrants, both to preserve their physical, mental and social integrity.

In this respect, he insisted that "addressing the vulnerabilities related to migration is to reduce exclusion and discrimination," adding that in order to comply with Goal 17, the tools of Morocco are legal, political and economic.

The Moroccan ambassador also said that "the form is only the expression of the substance, a balanced and positive discourse is the corollary of concrete achievements on the ground", while stressing the determination to combat any instrumentalization of the migration issue for political, racist, xenophobic, or discriminatory purposes.

Referring to Goal 23 of the Marrakech Pact, which enshrines an assimilation at all levels, Hilale said that Morocco is aware of the structural and global dimension of migration and has, therefore, made its integration into its resolutely multilateral approach a strategic priority.

In this regard, the Moroccan diplomat further noted that "these different actions are by no means exhaustive," explaining that "they serve to share good, duplicable and disseminable practices, in a spirit of cooperation and sharing."

He also insisted on the need for a collective commitment to integrate ambitious practices, in line with the Global Compact, in migration policies. In this regard, it is essential to accelerate efforts, at all levels, to strengthen the dissemination of reliable information, to expand migrants' access to services, to continue the elimination of discourses of systemic racism and finally to increase our cooperation, he added.

The permanent representative of Morocco to the UN has also indicated that the present round-table discussion is a "necessary aggiornamento" to strengthen the mechanisms, platforms and frameworks already in place.

"We are faced with the injunction to succeed. The insufficient use of empirical data, combined with misleading, discriminatory and xenophobic migration narratives contribute to policies and practices that make migration dangerous, disorderly and irregular," he lamented.

He further emphasized, in the same context, the collective responsibility to put migration in its true proportions and to tell its story objectively and not in fantasy. "This is the collective challenge we must take up."

Hilale also noted that two months after the organization of the first ministerial meeting of the Pact's champion countries in Rabat, the international community finds itself today in an expanded and strengthened configuration through a mobilization that is equal to the challenges and opportunities we face.

The meeting of the champion countries in Rabat allowed to note major advances, marking a "before" and an "after", both at the national and international levels, he said, adding that in the face of the only New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants adopted in 2016 protecting refugees, "we now have, in a spirit of complementarity, its counterpart covering all aspects of migration."

"Faced with situations of tension between countries of origin, transit and destination, we are now facing a situation of cooperation and mutual assistance," said Hilale, explaining that migration "is no longer a taboo. It has acquired thanks to the Pact a global dimension that allows it to be discussed, in a relaxed and open manner, in its various dimensions."

He further emphasized that in the face of a biased and distorted vision of migration, "we now have a cooperation framework that promotes the contribution of migration as a factor of innovation, prosperity and sustainable development."

"In a situation of information scarcity, we now have structured, informed and informative regional networks," he added, noting that although COVID-19 highlighted structural inequalities, it reinforced the timeliness of the Pact and served as a gas pedal for practices that take advantage of the benefits of safe, orderly and regular migration.

"Never before has the status of migrants been so highlighted in terms of their contribution to the health, food and human services sectors," the ambassador noted, pointing out that their real contribution stands in contrast to narratives motivated by racism, xenophobia, discrimination and misinformation.

Hilale called it wrong to suggest that migration can be understood without disaggregated data, stressing the importance of addressing challenges only by naming them.

"It is wrong to think that actions can only be taken by States alone. Migrants, as well as civil society, are and must be at the center of the formulation of solutions", said the Moroccan diplomat, considering that migration is not essentially a movement of people from South to North, South-South exchanges are more important today."

He also noted that the first lines of COVID-19 denied that developed countries can do without the migration phenomenon, calling not to consider migration as a simple flow. "It is first and foremost a set of rights for the benefit of migrants, with respect for their dignity," concluded the ambassador.

This fourth round-table discussion, which is part of the 1st International Migration Review Forum (May 17-20), was marked by the participation of the President of the National Council for Human Rights (CNDH), Amina Bouayach, the Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations, Liu Zhenmin, and the Director of the New York office of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Craig Mokhiber.

Initiated by the UN General Assembly, the Forum, which brings together Member States, observers, representatives of the UN system in addition to stakeholder groups, aims to review progress made at the local, national, regional and global levels in the implementation of the Marrakesh Pact and to address further concrete actions to better protect and support the more than 281 million migrants worldwide through changes in policies and practices.

Organized in cooperation with the Committee for the Preservation of the Heritage of Demnate (CPHD), this conference-debate was an opportunity to focus on the importance of preserving the civilizational character of the city of Demnate and its rich Judeo-Moroccan legacy as a symbol of the plural national identity.

This conference, which was marked by the participation of 30 Israelis from the thousand-year-old city of Demnate, was an opportunity to highlight the constant interest of the Kingdom in the preservation and promotion of the Hebrew component, and also to discuss between Israelis and Moroccans of Demnate on ways to increase investment on both sides for the benefit of the city.

Speaking on this occasion, ACIMI President Khalid Fataoui highlighted the unwavering commitment of Morocco to preserve the Hebrew identity for Moroccans of the Jewish faith, while emphasizing the specificities of the city of Demnate and its rich heritage and the importance of taking advantage of this diversity to serve the development of the city of Demnate.

He recalled the unwavering commitment of Moroccans of the Jewish faith to the Glorious Alaouite Throne, stressing the imperative to encourage investment on both sides and to pave the way for Moroccans in Israel to actively participate in the preservation of the Jewish-Moroccan memory.

For her part, Maguy Kakon; a member of the regional human rights commission in Rabat, said that the relationship between Morocco and Israel is an example to follow, recalling the leading role played by the Kingdom in the rehabilitation and restoration of the Jewish-Moroccan heritage.

Morocco is an example of plurality, living together and conviviality, she said, recalling the importance of youth in the restoration of this heritage and the promotion of this plural national identity.

Kakon added that the Moroccan traditions and ways of life of Moroccans in Israel, their attachment to Moroccan traditions are present in all Moroccan homes in Israel, indicating that this attachment could not take place without the commitment of the Kingdom to preserve the rights of Moroccans of the Jewish faith and their attachment to the mother country.

For his part, the co-founder of the CPHD, Yehuda Dahan, said that the ties between Demnatis of Israel and Morocco are strong and enduring, highly praising the commitment of the Kingdom in the restoration of the Jewish-Moroccan heritage.

The conference, which was held in the Kasbah of Amghar, a few steps from the beautiful natural bridge of Iminifri, focused on the Jewish heritage of Demnate between past and future, the development initiatives of the city of Demnate, and cooperation between Demnatis in Morocco and Israel.

The opening session will be chaired by president of the Legislative Assembly of El Salvador and the interim President of FOPREL, Ernesto Alfredo Castro Aldana, said Wednesday a statement by the House of Representatives.

It will be marked by speeches of the Speakers of the House of Representatives and the House of Advisors, respectively Rachid Talbi El Alami and Naama Mayara, according to the same source.

On this occasion, the presidents of the legislative powers of Central America, the Caribbean Basin and Mexico, representatives of the Moroccan Parliament and government officials will discuss ways of South-South cooperation. They will also debate the prospects for cooperation and exchanges between the countries of Africa, Central America, the Caribbean Basin and Mexico.

The session will also provide an opportunity to highlight the Moroccan experience in the fields of migration and renewable energy, the same source added, noting that the session will conclude with the reading and ratification of several draft resolutions on the agenda.

On the sidelines of the session, the presidents of the legislative powers and parliamentary delegations representing Central America, the Caribbean Basin and Mexico will hold a series of meetings with Moroccan officials, concluded the statement.

Even if it is not part of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), culture remains transversally present in all the SDGs, said Rhlalou during a session she chaired under the theme "Local cultural policies and sustainable development: threats and opportunities in African intermediate cities", as part of the 9th edition of the Africities Summit (Kisumu 17-21 May).

The work done in recent years reflects the importance of the cultural issue for the mayor of Rabat, which ensures the involvement of civil society and various ministerial departments while applying a multi-dimensional partnership, she noted, recalling that the capital of the Kingdom is listed as a world heritage site by UNESCO since 2012.

The city of Rabat is able to embrace modernity while preserving and enhancing its authenticity, said Rhlalou, highlighting the considerable efforts to protect and enhance the architectural, urban, landscape, social and cultural heritage with universal dimension.

In this sense, she called for including in policies, programs and urban and regional development plans buildings, sites, and landscapes of cultural value, and ensure their protection.

During the plenary session of this event, which brings together delegations from about 80 countries, the audience followed an institutional film highlighting the major achievements made by Morocco to promote and consolidate infrastructure and services related to all modes of transport (road, rail, air, maritime and logistics), as well as the importance of this sector as a vector for development and economic attractiveness of Morocco.

The assets and potential of Morocco in the transport and logistics sector were also exposed at the stand of the Kingdom whose authentic design was inspired by the specificities of Moroccan architecture, as part of an exhibition held on the sidelines of the summit.

Explanations were provided to ministerial delegations which visited the stand where they learned about the major projects launched in the Kingdom in recent years to further strengthen the sector.

In addition, during a press conference marking the beginning of the work of the Summit, Minister of Transport and Logistics, Mohamed Abdeljalil, gave an overview of efforts made by Morocco to improve accessibility to infrastructure and transport services, as well as programs developed in this direction to improve accessibility to populations in rural areas, the development of means of public transport (bus and tramway), the development of national and international air transport, the promotion of access to online technologies and services for the purchase of transport tickets, and the development of new mobility systems and services that take into account national ambitions to reduce CO2 emissions, including conventional and high-speed rail transport, in addition to the development of port infrastructure and maritime transport.

He noted, on the other hand, that "Morocco's membership in the ITF in 2015 has allowed us to participate and contribute to discussions on topics of interest to all countries in the world, such as shared mobility, soft mobility, ecomobility, green transport, innovation and new technologies in transport."

"These are topics that require new generations of strategies, action plans and appropriate governance of transport," he said, noting that "many topics have already been translated into initiatives and action plans at the Kingdom". He cited as an example the national strategy for sustainable development 2030, the national strategy for energy efficiency 2030, the long-term low-carbon strategy Morocco 2050, and the national strategy for the development of logistics competitiveness 2030.

The Minister said, moreover, that the theme of this summit on transport for inclusive societies is chosen to discuss transport for all, especially after the advent of Covid which has generated a real change in several aspects of the life of societies.

This platform is accessible via the link "https://etudiants-ukraine.enssup.gov.ma", said the ministry in a statement.

The ministry invites the students concerned to pay full attention to the deadlines for uploading the required documents, stressing that the platform will be closed by May 31, 2022 at 00:00.

Accomplished coach and two-time World Cup veteran as a player, Berhalter kindly answered MAP's questions about what is at stake in this game, his team's chances at the World Cup, the Atlas Lions and Moroccan football.

 The 49-year-old head coach is familiar with Moroccan football, having himself played in the 2-1 loss to the national team in 1999 in Marrakech.

 After retiring in 2011, Berhalter became the first American to take over a European club, Hammarby Syedis, and went on to enjoy a string of successes with teams in Major League Soccer (MLS).

However, when he was appointed head coach for the national football team, he did not have all odds in his favor. Fans were expecting a big name. Team USA had just been eliminated from the race for the World Cup in Russia after a major last-game loss to a modest Trinidad and Tobago. This was their first absence from a World Cup since 1986.

Berhalter, however, put his faith in young people and under his leadership the team gradually regained its strength. The results were soon to follow.

Despite a highly competitive group, "Captain America" and Chelsea striker Christian Pulisic and his teammates have every chance to shine at the upcoming global event.

 The U.S. team is in group B with England, Iran and the qualifying team between Scotland, Ukraine and Wales.

1- Can you tell us how important the next friendly against Morocco is in your preparation for the World cup?

We think the games against Morocco and Uruguay are important opportunities for our World Cup preparation. We wanted to play against teams who were also in the World Cup so we knew they would be competitive. Morocco will be the first African opponent for this group of players, so we are very much looking forward to the challenge.

2- How do you assess the level of the Moroccan national team and in general Moroccan football?

The Moroccan team was outstanding during World Cup Qualifying. They score a lot of goals and surrender very few, so this will be a good challenge. The United States has never beaten Morocco and we are very aware of their quality.

3- The US team has plenty of talents and stars. What are your aspirations for the next World Cup in Qatar ?

 When you look at our group, it may be the toughest of any in the World Cup. Our first objective is to advance to the knockout phase, and from there we know anything can happen. We will have the youngest team in the world, and they have shown throughout the qualification process that they are capable of beating anyone.

4- Morocco has been drawn with Belgium, Croatia, and Canada. You have faced the Canadian team many times.

 Do you have any advice to the Moroccan coach and players on how to approach this particular game?

 Canada has a solid team. They have a very good coach in John Herdman and they are very clear in their identity. Canada has a strong core as well as some highly talented players, so they will be difficult to beat.