Commissioner for Human Rights holds a Working Session with the UN Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights

The Commissioner for Human Rights, Humanitarian Action and Civil Society Relations, Mr. Sid Ahmed Ould Ely Benane, held on Wednesday in Geneva a working meeting with the Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations in charge of Human Rights, Ms. Ilze Brands Kehris.

The meeting dealt with various aspects of joint cooperation between our country and the United Nations in the field of human rights, as well as the great progress that our country has witnessed in the field of promotion and protection of human rights in recent years.

During the meeting, the High Commissioner gave a comprehensive presentation on the human rights situation in the country and the progress made, especially with regard to the implementation of the new national strategy for the promotion and protection of human rights and the follow-up of our country’s international commitments in the same field.

He praised the distinguished role played by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Nouakchott.

The High Commissioner reviewed the efforts made by the Mauritanian government in the field of combating migration and receiving and sheltering refugees and displaced persons from neighboring countries, indicating the extent of the impact of this phenomenon and its consequences on the national capacity to respond and provide services, calling on the United Nations to intensify support for our country in facing the resulting challenges.

For her part, the Assistant Secretary-General praised the positive interaction of our country with the United Nations human rights mechanisms, praising the policy of openness and dialogue pursued by the government with various partners and actors, stressing that this is an example for other countries in the subregion.

She praised our country’s policy in the field of receiving and sheltering refugees and managing migration, expressing her understanding of the burden borne by our country in this regard.

The Commissioner had held several meetings with international officials and representatives of some of the States participating in the meetings of the fifty-eighth session of the Human Rights Council.

Among the officials he met with were the Moroccan Minister of Justice, Abdellatif Wehbi, the President of the Human Rights Council, Jörg Lauber, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees for Protection, Raven Menekdoela, the Swiss Federal Chancellor and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

The various meetings took place in the presence of the Ambassador of Mauritania in Geneva, H.E. Mrs. Aicha Val Verges, Mr. Harouna Traoré, in charge of the Presidency of the Republic, and Mr. Sidi Mohamed Ould Imam, Director of Human Rights at the Office of the High Commissioner.