The Kingdom is predisposed to provide Africa with qualified election observers capable of promoting the democratic process on the African continent, stressed Bourita at the opening of the third edition of the Specialized Training Cycle for African Election Observers.

This training, continued Mr. Bourita, should provide Africa with quality observers to accompany and lend credibility to the continent’s electoral processes, recalling in this respect HM King Mohammed VI’s speech to the 28th African Union (AU) Summit in Addis Ababa, in which the Sovereign emphasized that Africa can and must validate its electoral processes itself, and thus endorse the free choice of its citizens.

Africa has the regulatory tools and judicial institutions, such as Constitutional Councils and Supreme Courts, to settle electoral disputes and appeals, said His Majesty the King in his speech.

Some 74 participants from 45 African countries are taking part in this training cycle for African election observers, said Mr. Bourita, who co-chaired the event with Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security of the African Union.

He stressed the “interest and relevance of this exercise”, particularly among women and young people, who make up 50% of participants, which is “a very promising sign”, especially as 2024 is an election year in Africa, with 19 elections expected, including eleven presidential elections.

Morocco, in partnership with the African Union Commission, is organizing the third edition of the Specialized Training Cycle for African Election Observers in Rabat until May 3.

The Kingdom is the first African country to train election observers in Africa. With this third successive edition, the training cycles have benefited 155 African observers, enabling the development of a continent-wide database.

The training cycle for election observers is part of Morocco’s commitment, under the enlightened leadership of HM King Mohammed VI, to achieving strategic objectives aimed at consolidating democratic governance and practice in Africa, for a stable, peaceful and prosperous continent.

It also responds to the calls made by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union, notably the last Summit of the Union, held in February 2024, for Morocco to continue strengthening African capacities to improve the professional conduct of electoral observation missions.