Morocco intends to support emerging democracies in Africa through “election observers”

In the midst of the escalation of conflicts, the succession of coups d’etats in the African continent, and the emergence of the game of interests between countries, Morocco affirmed its “keenness to support democratic practice in Africa and to advance efforts towards the success of the electoral elections that will be held during the coming periods,” especially since this year will witness the organization of about 19 electoral elections on the continent, including 11 presidential entitlements.

The Moroccan confirmation in this regard came from Nasser Bourita, Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans Living Abroad, who highlighted “the Kingdom’s readiness to provide the African continent with qualified election observers capable of strengthening the democratic process on the continent,” at a time when Morocco is the first country in Africa to train election observers. .

The Moroccan willingness to support democracy efforts and fair selection, which was expressed on the sidelines of the third edition of the training course for African election observers in Morocco, was read by academic researchers in political science and democracy as “a renewed Moroccan bet on clinging to leadership in the field of supporting emerging democracies and the victory of peace and integrity.”

These academics confirmed to Hespress that “this matter also shows that Morocco is trying to make its policy towards the continent even include aspects related to democracy and civil society, which constitutes support for its diplomacy, which also includes the spiritual field and the scientific field.”

Hafid Al-Zuhri, an academic researcher in political science, said, “Morocco’s expression of its readiness to provide Africa with international observers in the field of elections is primarily linked to African dependence on Morocco with the aim of training observers and experts specialized in monitoring and securing electoral entitlements, which indicates that the Kingdom has become a role model in the field of democratic practice.” On the continent.”

Al-Zuhri pointed out, in a statement to Hespress, that “Morocco is mainly interested in supporting emerging democracies in Africa and supporting development, in light of the fact that the continent is currently experiencing a transitional phase due to the continuation of coups and political conflicts, while an African nationalist feeling has begun to mature and is moving in the direction of supporting the democratic process.”

The spokesman highlighted that Morocco “usually expresses its readiness to advance the train of democracy and development on the continent, through logistics or providing the necessary training for human resources,” adding that “this comes as a continuation of the bet that Morocco has focused on since its return to the African Union, as it highlighted at the time that it had returned from Yes, the continent as a whole.”

The academic researcher in political science stressed that “Morocco is trying to express its interest and connection to the African continent across several levels, including the social, economic and security levels as well,” noting that “by supporting democracy in Africa, Morocco is not trying to play the role of controller, but rather plays the role of assistant.”

For her part, Rokia Achmal, professor of public law at Mohammed V University in Rabat and researcher in democracy and civil society affairs, confirmed that “Moroccan efforts in this context come as a continuation of other initiatives that have been supported in the field of multiple diplomacy, and also come within what Morocco has accumulated in the field of so-called Civil diplomacy, which in this regard expresses Moroccan experience in the field of elections, civil society and participatory democracy as well.”

Achmal explained, in a statement to Hespress, that “these initiatives will strengthen the ties between Morocco and its African depth, in what is considered a complement to the various types of Moroccan diplomacy in Africa, including spiritual and scientific ones, as the latter has also imposed itself in recent years,” highlighting that “Africa It has expertise and specialized human resources in multiple fields.”

The spokeswoman explained that “the recent Moroccan endeavors have political connotations and dimensions that can be summarized in Morocco’s clinging to leadership in the field of presenting initiatives aimed at achieving balanced diplomacy, and also strengthening the efforts of Moroccan society in this regard, at a time when the state is establishing this approach, which was only done through Participation in conferences, but today the move has been made to the institutional level, which will enhance Moroccan openness to the African interior.”