Morocco’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Expatriates, Nasser Bourita, has called for the development of a new legal instrument to effectively combat the phenomenon of child soldiers on the continent.
Speaking at the opening of the African Ministerial Conference on the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) of Child Soldiers, Bourita deplored the persistent legal gap and the absence of a common legal framework in Africa to address this issue comprehensively.
He stressed that the time is long overdue for Africa to adopt a legal instrument tailored to the continent’s realities and capable of meeting current challenges.”
In this regard, MFA Bourita explained that such an instrument could become a historic milestone, designed to bridge the legal void by linking existing international norms with Africa’s on-the-ground realities. It would also reinforce African states’ capacities to prosecute the perpetrators of these crimes.
Also Read: UN Security Council Endorsing Morocco’s Plan for Western Sahara: What it Means
Highlighting the spirit of solidarity, fraternity and shared destiny that HM King Mohammed VI consistently promotes in Africa, the Minister affirmed that Morocco “has always advocated for an Africa that fully values its youth, protects its children, and is committed to defending their dignity.”
He added that the Rabat conference embodies a sense of shared responsibility and determination to overcome one of the most urgent moral challenges of our time: the recruitment and use of children in armed conflict.
Morocco conference audits Africa’s progress
Reflecting on the alarming scale of the phenomenon, Bourita noted that Africa’s efforts remain insufficient, with an estimated 120,000 child soldiers on the continent, which accounts for 40% of all child soldiers worldwide.
A deeper analysis, he said, shows that the ongoing recruitment of children by armed groups undermines all efforts to restore stability in the affected countries. Despite some encouraging progress, DDR initiatives remain incomplete, and in certain cases poorly designed, largely due to the absence of a holistic approach.
Addressing the impact of separatist and terrorist groups in worsening the crisis, Bourita underscored that in Africa, these groups continue to use children in criminal activities with impunity. He urged the need to break the silence surrounding this serious crime.
Also Read: Why Are Children Paraded and Photographed at Climate Talks but Not Allowed to Decide Anything?
Such atrocities, he insisted, “can in no way be tolerated,” emphasizing that responsibility lies with individual perpetrators, the leaders of separatist groups, and the states that host or support them.
In this context, Bourita proposed the creation of a “child-centered Group of Friends on Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration,” which would mobilize political leadership and legal expertise to develop an African convention on the prevention of child recruitment and the reintegration of affected children.
Follow our WhatsApp Channel and X Account for real-time news updates.
