Morocco’s Foreign Minister Tightens Rules for Diplomats Attending Foreign Receptions

The minister’s circular is formal: "the invitations addressed to the executives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, inside and outside Morocco, are not addressed to the civil servant or agent as a person, but constitute professional activities that are intended for them in their diplomatic or consular capacities." Nasser Bourita thus intends to prevent diplomats or officials from attending receptions. They must rather "organize" them. The authority also insists on the "duty of reserve" and "responsibility", because these events are not leisure activities, but are "at the heart of official activities", reports Hespress.

At each of their participation in events organized by foreign representations, institutions and international organizations as well as foreign and national NGOs, diplomats must preserve "professional secrecy" and ensure compliance with the "duty of reserve". Indeed, according to Article 56 of the status of civil servants and agents of the ministry, the latter must "avoid anything that could undermine the prestige and inviolability of the Kingdom or undermine the dignity and honor of their function both in the exercise of their duties and in their private life".

Furthermore, according to the ministerial circular, the ministry’s executives and civil servants are required to inform their superiors of the invitations they receive before responding to them or withdrawing from them, unless instructed otherwise.