HIBAPRESS – MAP
The Secretary General of the Hague Conference on Private International Law, Christoph Bernasconi, praised on Tuesday in Marrakech the role played by Morocco in modernizing public administration and strengthening international legal cooperation, stressing that the Kingdom is fully integrated into the global dynamics aimed at simplifying procedures for authenticating documents and developing its services through digitalization.
Mr. Bernasconi highlighted, in a speech during the opening of the 14th session of the International Forum on the e-Apostille program, that the adoption of the "Apostille" Convention in 1961 constituted a "significant shift" in the field of recognition of public documents between countries, after a long series of traditional authentication procedures were dispensed with and replaced by a single unified certificate that contributed to facilitating the movement of documents across borders. He explained that this agreement has seen the involvement of a large number of countries across different continents, as it now includes 129 countries and contracting parties, with the issuance of more than 35 million "Apostille" certificates annually, which "reflects the extent of its adoption and its practical importance in facilitating legal and administrative exchange between countries". He pointed out that Morocco, as a party to this agreement, has actively engaged in the "e-Apostille" program, which is based on two main pillars: issuing the "Apostille" digitally, and establishing electronic registers that allow for the immediate verification of the authenticity and source of documents. In this context, he praised the efforts made by the Kingdom in activating an important part of this program, especially with regard to establishing an electronic registry system, which enhances transparency and strengthens confidence in the documents exchanged between countries. Mr. Bernasconi concluded by emphasizing that Morocco's support for this workshop, especially through the establishment of a regional office of the Hague Conference in Rabat, represents a distinguished initiative that reflects the Kingdom's commitment to strengthening international cooperation in this field, and consolidates its position as an active partner in developing the digital justice system at the regional and international levels. The 14th session of the International Forum on the "e-Apostille" , which is the first edition hosted by the African continent, is an opportunity to exchange experiences on ways to develop "e-Apostille" services. This session is held on the initiative of the Regional Office of the Hague Conference on Private International Law in Africa, and with the support of the Ministry of Justice, over two days, to review best practices in the field of digitizing documentation and authentication procedures, and to keep pace with the rapid transformations in the field of justice and administrative services at the international level.
