Morocco's permanent representative to the UN, ambassador Omar Hilale, was unanimously elected on Tuesday (by all 193 UN member states) as president of the Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations and on the Strengthening of the Role of the Organization for the year 2018. The UN body, which brings together UN member states and observers, plays an important role in interpreting legal provisions related to sanctions use, peaceful dispute settlement and, more broadly, cooperation with regional organizations in working to maintain peace and security. This election confirms Morocco's unwavering commitment to peaceful settlement of disputes, the primacy of political solutions, the importance of mediation and the need for conflict prevention. It is also an acknowledgement of the pioneering role of Morocco within the framework of UN Peacekeeping Operations, particularly in Africa where the Moroccan peacekeepers have been participating since 1960.
