Bourita Calls for Strengthening International Response to Non-State Armed Groups
Moroccan Foreign Minister Calls for Strengthened International Response to Non-State Armed Groups
On Monday in New York, Nasser Bourita, Morocco’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation, and Moroccans Living Abroad, urged the international community to bolster its response to the challenges posed by non-state armed groups.
Speaking at a high-level meeting organized by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, Bourita reaffirmed Morocco’s stance regarding these groups and specifically condemned the actions of Houthi militias targeting the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as well as Iranian attacks that threaten the security and stability of GCC countries.
The minister also denounced actions that infringe upon freedom of navigation in maritime routes, which he described as a means of external pressure serving particular interests.
Bourita emphasized the growing threat posed by non-state armed groups, which now have the capabilities to exploit national vulnerabilities, cross borders, and connect different conflict zones.
He particularly highlighted the situation in Africa, where nearly 24,000 fatalities over the past twelve months have been linked to violence perpetrated by armed groups.
Additionally, the minister noted the increasing convergence between terrorist groups, separatist movements, and criminal networks, along with the use of armed groups as intermediaries in certain conflicts as part of so-called "proxy war" strategies.
In response to this evolving landscape, Morocco advocates for timelier international action and enhanced cooperation to combat the financing of armed groups, arms transfers, illicit trafficking, and the external support they may receive.
Bourita further called for the strengthening of accountability mechanisms and the closing of gaps that allow certain armed groups to operate without implicating their supporters.
Finally, he underscored that the international response should not be limited to containing these groups; it must also aim to prevent them from influencing future conflicts while safeguarding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states, as well as the security of their populations.
