Mediation is meant to reduce the burden on the Moroccan judicial system, and therefore improve the system's efficiency. Ph. Archives.

Organised under the theme “The Project of Mediation Institutionalisation in Morocco: What Role for Lawyers”, the round table is part of a series of events which aim at presenting mediation and debating its implementation with various stakeholders.

After civil society representatives, including associations, NGOs and syndicates, it was the turn of the judicial body representatives to have their say on the project.

Participants, who included lawyers and judges coming from different regions of the Kingdom, debated the importance of mediation in Morocco as an alternative way for conflict resolution, and a means to reduce the burden on the Moroccan judicial system, and therefore improve the system's efficiency.

“In 2004 only, more than 3 million cases were brought to the Moroccan courts, with an average of 10,000 cases for each judge. If mediation is applied in Morocco, a significant share of cases will be solved without going through complex court procedures,” explained Bensalem Oudija, president of the Studies and Legislation Office in the Ministry of Justice.

This, participants added, would also mean that solving conflicts would take less time and cost, in addition to the role mediation will play in social stability.

During the gathering, speakers agreed on the importance of lawyers as major actors in the practice of mediation in Morocco. Speakers also agreed that lawyers should play an active role in mediation.

“The mission of lawyers is no longer restricted to defence and consultancy. As part of the judicial system, lawyers today actively contribute to the country's economic and social development, and therefore should be at the heart of mediation activities in Morocco,” underlined Mohammed Ayadi Zerkti, president of the Moroccan Bar Association.

The round table was headed by Roman Koval, director of Search for Common Ground in Ukraine, who also presented the Ukranian experience in the institutionalisation and practice of mediation.

The event was closed by an open debate, in which lawyers were given the floor to share their remarks, apprehensions, and recommendations concerning the bill on mediation.

These included the need for an observation body to control the practice of mediation, the importance of training and follow-up, making mediation services accessible to all Moroccans, and the need for a law protecting mediators.

Opening dialogue with civil society representatives and judicial staff about the insertion of mediation in the Moroccan judicial system is part of the second phase of a Programme initiated in 2004 by SFCG-Morocco in cooperation with the Ministry of Justice and the support of the UK Embassy in Morocco.

The first phase (2004-2005) aimed at acquainting Moroccan judicial experts, judges and lawyers with techniques of mediation. This was attained through a series of trainings and workshops organised in Morocco and abroad.

The Rabat-based SFCG-Morocco was established in 2001 to transform the way people deal with conflicts in the Kingdom and contribute to social stability.