Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita called on Wednesday for United Nations peacekeeping mandates to evolve in line with realities on the ground, warning that outdated missions risk becoming instruments for preserving the status quo rather than effective tools for resolving conflicts.
Speaking at the opening of the 2nd Ministerial Conference on Peacekeeping in the Francophone Environment in Rabat, Bourita said the gathering reflects Morocco’s longstanding commitment to peace, international cooperation, and multilateral solidarity under the leadership of King Mohammed VI.
The Moroccan minister stressed that peacekeeping operations must be guided by realistic, clearly defined, and regularly reassessed political objectives capable of adapting to evolving conditions on the ground.
According to Bourita, the international community should prioritize achievable goals rather than maintaining what he described as unrealistic promises that fail to produce tangible results in conflict zones.
He noted that the conference comes at a critical moment for UN peacekeeping operations, amid persistent divisions within the United Nations Security Council, the changing nature of armed conflicts, and growing pressure on international resources.
Bourita also warned of increasingly dangerous operational environments facing peacekeeping forces, citing asymmetric threats posed by armed non-state actors and separatist movements linked to terrorist organizations.
In this context, he called for a “zero-tolerance” policy toward attacks targeting UN peacekeepers, commonly known as Blue Helmets, stressing the need to strengthen both their security and operational effectiveness.
The minister argued that the debate surrounding peacekeeping should not center on preserving or abandoning the current system, but rather on reforming it to make missions more flexible, effective, and responsive to local realities.
He further emphasized that peacekeeping missions should remain temporary mechanisms supporting political solutions rather than substitutes for the political will of parties involved in conflicts.
From this perspective, Bourita said the closure of a mission should be considered a legitimate scenario whenever political and security conditions on the ground allow for it.
Highlighting Morocco’s contribution to international peacekeeping efforts, Bourita recalled that the Kingdom has participated continuously in UN peacekeeping operations since 1960 and has deployed more than 100,000 peacekeepers over the decades.
He added that nearly 1,340 Moroccan military personnel are currently serving in peacekeeping missions, particularly within United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic in the Central African Republic and United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Bourita said Morocco’s long-standing engagement in peacekeeping gives Rabat particular legitimacy in ongoing discussions about reforming UN missions, especially in ways that better address the needs of local populations while ensuring greater security for deployed personnel.
The minister also urged the Francophone community to translate its operational role in peacekeeping into stronger political and doctrinal influence, noting that Francophone countries host nearly two-thirds of ongoing UN peacekeeping missions and account for close to 60 percent of the organization’s peacekeeping budget.
He called for the development of a shared Francophone vision on peacekeeping and peacebuilding, including stronger training capacities, enhanced interoperability among Francophone contingents, and the reinforcement of institutional cooperation in the sector.
Bourita concluded by reaffirming Morocco’s readiness to contribute to these efforts through its Peacekeeping Training Center of Excellence in Benslimane, while advocating for the institutionalization of the Ministerial Conference on Peacekeeping in the Francophone Environment as a regular political platform held annually or biennially.
