New York, September 22, 2026 – The Europe Today: Morocco’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, Nasser Bourita, has called for stronger international efforts to address the growing challenges posed by non-state armed groups, warning that their cross-border activities are creating increasingly complex security threats.
Bourita made the remarks on September 21 during a high-level meeting on “The Challenges Posed by Non-State Armed Groups,” organized by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
The Moroccan minister reiterated his country’s position against non-state armed groups and condemned attacks carried out by Houthi forces against Saudi Arabia, as well as what he described as Iranian attacks affecting the security and stability of GCC countries.
He also condemned actions targeting freedom of navigation in maritime routes, saying that such activities are being used to exert pressure and advance the interests of other parties.
Bourita warned that non-state armed groups have developed greater operational capabilities, enabling them to exploit weaknesses within states, operate across national borders and establish links between conflicts in different regions.
He highlighted the situation in Africa, noting that nearly 24,000 deaths had been associated with violence committed by armed groups on the continent over the previous 12 months.
The Moroccan foreign minister also pointed to what he described as growing links between terrorist organizations, separatist movements and criminal networks. He expressed concern over the use of armed groups as proxies by states seeking to advance strategic interests.
Bourita said that some states provide safe havens to such groups, which he argued contravenes international law and the principles of the United Nations Charter.
Against this backdrop, he called on the international community to strengthen cooperation aimed at disrupting the financing of armed groups, restricting their access to weapons and combating illicit trafficking networks and external support.
He further called for stronger accountability mechanisms and efforts to close legal and political gaps that allow groups operating as proxies to avoid consequences.
Bourita stressed that states supporting such armed groups should bear legal, political and moral responsibility for their actions and the destabilizing consequences associated with them.
In his concluding remarks, the Moroccan minister said international efforts should extend beyond containing armed groups after conflicts emerge. He called for preventive measures to limit their ability to influence future conflicts while emphasizing the importance of protecting state sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as the security and dignity of populations.
