The African continent remains at the forefront of the terrorist threat, with nearly 60% of the world’s victims reported in sub-Saharan Africa. This alarming fact was highlighted on Wednesday in New York by Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans Abroad, Nasser Bourita, who proposed creating a Global African Support Network for Victims of Terrorism to coordinate efforts between African nations, international organizations, and NGOs.
Speaking at a ministerial meeting of the Group of Friends of Victims of Terrorism, held on the sidelines of the 79th UN General Assembly, Bourita pointed out that Africa is too often overlooked in international responses, despite the extent of the tragedy suffered by African victims of terrorism.
The Moroccan FM stressed that victims are not simply collateral damage but a central lever in the strategies of terrorist groups, which exploit their suffering to spread terror and manipulate socio-political narratives.
In response to this critical situation, Bourita called for urgent collective mobilization to alleviate the impact of terrorism on African victims, who are often forgotten on the international stage.
Morocco, he recalled, plays a key role in protecting the rights of victims, both internationally and at the African regional level.
Bourita also called for greater international cooperation to provide inclusive and effective support for African victims of terrorism and reiterated Rabat’s commitment to working with its international partners to this end.
To strengthen this dynamic, the minister proposed creating a Global African Support Network for Victims of Terrorism to coordinate efforts between African nations, international organizations, and NGOs. This network, he explained, would facilitate the exchange of best practices and resources to ensure comprehensive assistance for victims.
He also called for dedicated African legal frameworks to protect victims’ rights and for global awareness-raising campaigns on their challenges and resilience.
Morocco will continue to actively support multilateral efforts on behalf of victims and to play a leading role within the Group of Friends of Victims of Terrorism, Bourita concluded.