Morocco has earned a prominent position in international cultural preservation efforts with its recent election as vice-president of UNESCO’s Scientific and Technical Advisory Body (STAB). This new role will be held by Azzedine Karra, a seasoned expert in underwater heritage and a longstanding figure in Morocco’s cultural diplomacy.
The election was confirmed during the 16th session of STAB, convened alongside the 10th meeting of the States Parties to the 2001 Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage. The convention, though not widely known to the public, plays a vital role in protecting underwater archaeological sites—ranging from centuries-old shipwrecks to sunken cities and ruins—from threats such as looting, commercial exploitation, and environmental degradation.
STAB is composed of 14 internationally recognized specialists who provide scientific and technical support to states that are party to the convention. Their mandate includes guiding the application of the convention, ensuring that underwater excavations follow strict archaeological standards, and helping countries build national capacities and legal mechanisms to protect submerged heritage.
Karra’s appointment is a significant milestone not only for Morocco but also for Africa’s broader representation in global heritage governance. With a background deeply rooted in underwater archaeology, Karra has served as Morocco’s UNESCO representative on cultural matters since 2013 and was previously elected president of STAB in 2017. His re-election in a new leadership capacity is seen as a vote of confidence in both his personal expertise and Morocco’s institutional contributions to heritage conservation.
For Morocco, this position consolidates its growing influence within UNESCO and affirms its commitment to preserving cultural legacies beneath the sea. It also enhances the country’s visibility in multilateral forums where science, history, and diplomacy intersect.
The timing of the appointment adds further weight. In February of this year, a Moroccan maritime heritage association located the remains of nine sunken vessels from World War I along the southern coast of the country. The ships, which had been submerged for more than a century, were identified as belonging to six different nations—Japan, Norway, France, Britain, Portugal, and Italy—underscoring Morocco’s rich, multilayered maritime history.
This discovery not only illustrates the relevance of Morocco’s underwater heritage but also highlights the need for coordinated international efforts to study and protect such sites. With Karra at the helm of STAB’s vice-presidency, Morocco is poised to play a leading role in shaping those efforts and fostering global cooperation in underwater cultural preservation.