Maghreb Arabe Presse (Rabat)
The Rabat Declaration, which was adopted unanimously here on Tuesday by the participants in the 35th Forum of Presidents of the Legislative Bodies of Central America and the Caribbean Basin (FOPREL), calls for the support of efforts aimed at finding a peaceful, final and negotiated solution to the Sahara issue under the Moroccan territorial integrity and sovereignty, in accordance with the principles of the FOPREL.
The Rabat Declaration also commends the democratization process, the introduction of decentralization, the strengthening of democracy and the promotion and protection of human rights undertaken by the Kingdom of Morocco and the FOPREL member countries.
The Declaration also took into account the experiences of the FOPREL member countries in the preservation of cultural and ethnic diversity, as well as efforts to protect the environment and promote open democratic societies.
The document also hails efforts made by Morocco and FOPREL member countries in the fight against terrorism and in the implementation of a comprehensive approach to migration, on the basis of the fight against discrimination, the promotion of tolerance and the protection of human rights and solidarity among peoples.
Participants in the 35th session of the FOPREL underlined their willingness to develop the exchange of experiences between the Moroccan Parliament and the parliaments of FOPREL’s member countries in the areas of territorial governance, participatory democracy, sustainable development and the promotion of South-South cooperation.
FOPREL, which was created in 1994, aims at boosting legislation enforcement and homologation mechanisms of the member countries.
FOPREL is composed of the parliaments of Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Chile and Puerto Rico.
Morocco is an observer member in the Forum since 2014.
