Speaking at the opening of the high-level segment of the 55th regular session of the HRC in Geneva, Zniber said that the reform project was being carefully assessed in terms of both positive achievements and shortcomings, with an eye toward the UN General Assembly’s decision on reform.
Morocco’s permanent representative in Geneva, elected president of the HRC in January, noted the impact of the UN cash crisis on the Council and its mechanisms, particularly in terms of flexibility in organizing meetings and using hybrid means to manage HRC events.
The 55th session, which is the longest since the creation of the Council, will address several challenges that must be met in a climate of trust to achieve tangible progress in the field of human rights, despite the significant impact of geopolitical crises, he noted.
Zniber stressed the need for a balance between civil and political rights, on the one hand, and economic, social, and cultural rights, on the other, as these rights are indivisible.
In this context, the President of the HRC reviewed the impact of food security, health, and the environmental crisis on the effective enjoyment of human rights, highlighting the new challenges posed by access to technology and the digital divide in the implementation of rights.
Zniber opened the 55th session of the UNHRC, which runs until April 5, in the presence of UN Secretary-General António Guterres, UN General Assembly President Denis Francis, High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk and Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis.
