The African continent remains on the front line of the terrorist threat, with nearly 60% of global victims recorded in sub-Saharan Africa. This alarming observation was highlighted on Wednesday in New York by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans Abroad, Nasser Bourita.
During a ministerial meeting of the Group of Friends of Victims of Terrorism, held on the sidelines of the 79th UN General Assembly, Mr. Bourita recalled that Africa is too often forgotten in international responses, despite the scale of the tragedy experienced by African victims of terrorism.
In his speech, the minister insisted on the fact that victims are not simple collateral damage but constitute a central lever in the strategies of terrorist groups, who exploit their suffering to spread terror and manipulate socio-political narratives.
In response to this critical situation, Mr. Bourita called for collective and urgent mobilization in order to alleviate the impact of terrorism on African victims, often forgotten on the international scene.
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Morocco, he recalled, plays a key role in protecting the rights of victims, both internationally and at the African regional level.
Mr. Bourita also pleaded for a strengthening of international cooperation in order to provide inclusive and effective support to African victims of terrorism, and reiterated Rabat’s commitment to collaborate with its international partners in this direction.
To strengthen this dynamic, the minister proposed the creation of a global African Support Network for Victims of Terrorism, which would make it possible to coordinate efforts between African nations, international organizations and NGOs. This network, he continued, would facilitate the exchange of good practices and resources to ensure comprehensive assistance to victims.
He also called for the adoption of African legal frameworks dedicated to protecting the rights of victims and the implementation of global awareness campaigns on their challenges and resilience.
Morocco, concluded Mr. Bourita, will continue to actively support multilateral efforts in favor of victims and to play a leading role within the Group of Friends of Victims of Terrorism.
With MAP
