International migrations organization chief hails Morocco's democratization efforts

Director general of the International Migrations organization, Brunson McKinley, hailed the efforts made by King Mohammed VI and the Moroccan government to institute an authentic democracy.

McKinley who conferred in Geneva Monday with Moroccan minister of human rights, Mohamed Aujjar, also hailed the kingdom's endeavors to promote a tolerant and open society.

Talks between the two men covered migration-related issues stressing the need that migration vision be based on the rights of migrant persons.

Talks also dealt with cooperation between Morocco and the international organization and the keen interest Morocco grants to the migration problematic, especially the human rights dimension, in view of the pernicious progression of extreme right movements, hatred and intolerance forces.

Aujjar recalled in this respect the call launched recently by King Mohammed VI urging the international community to sign and ratify the international convention on the protection of the rights of all migrant workers and their families and Morocco's initiative to put on the agenda of the world conference on racism --to be held in Durban, South Africa, end of August- the new forms of racism, discrimination and intolerance migrant workers suffer from.

The two sides also discussed the project to set up in Morocco a "resource center for migrants' rights" that will be a platform for reflection and study on migration and the human rights dimension.

Aujjar is visiting Geneva at the head of the Moroccan delegation to the 57th session of the human rights commission, held March 19 through April 27.

He is to address the session this Tuesday in the frame of the general debate and will later on meet the High commissioner for Human Rights, Mary Robinson.

Contacts and talks with executives and activists of ngos active in human rights are also on Aujjar's schedule.