At UN, Bourita demands accountability for states backing armed groups

Nasser Bourita, Morocco's Minister of Foreign Affairs, told the UN General Assembly on Tuesday that non-State armed groups threatening states have grown considerably, now posing a threat to the world's maritime corridors and straits. 

He said these groups are increasingly linked to terrorist organizations, criminal networks and mercenary elements.

"They must, therefore, be dealt with firmly, and responsibility must be assigned to the States that sponsor, harbour, finance, arm, and provide them with safe haven and support," Bourita said, calling for deterrent sanctions against both the groups and their state backers. He warned that such groups cannot be allowed to become a means of evading accountability or a tool for states to carry out what they cannot do directly.

The Moroccan minister also urged that climate action be prioritized, arguing that peace and sustainable development can only endure through an effective response to climate change, which he said is already undermining water and food security, territorial and economic stability, and living conditions worldwide. 

He noted Morocco's own national efforts on climate action while pointing to the disproportionate impact of climate change on the African continent, calling for broader international measures, including affordable and accessible financing, technology transfer and

On the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Bourita said Palestine must have its own viable state for lasting peace in the Middle East, and confirmed Morocco's decision to participate in the International Stabilization Force in Gaza. He added that Morocco remains deeply concerned about unrest in the West Bank and repeated violations of the sanctity of Al-Aqsa Mosque.