Morocco on Wednesday reaffirmed before the African Union Peace and Security Council (AU PSC) the need to strengthen the protection of children affected by armed conflicts, with a focus on preventing their recruitment, protecting them and ensuring their sustainable reintegration.
Speaking at an AU PSC meeting on the “protection of child soldiers in Africa,” the Moroccan delegation stressed that children remain among the primary victims of conflicts persisting across the continent, being exposed to recruitment, violence and disruption of schooling, which have lasting consequences for their future.
In this regard, the Moroccan delegation reaffirmed the Kingdom’s consistent position condemning the recruitment and use of children by armed groups, which constitute serious violations of international humanitarian law, while emphasizing the need for effective responses in prevention, protection and accountability.
The Moroccan delegation also underscored the need to ensure the sustainable reintegration of children formerly associated with armed groups through tailored programs, including access to education, psychosocial support and vocational training.
The delegation highlighted further the importance of preventing their re-recruitment, notably by addressing vulnerability factors such as poverty and exclusion.
In this context, the same source recalled the African Ministerial Conference on the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration of Child Soldiers, held on November 20, 2025 in Rabat, which culminated in the adoption of the Rabat Declaration. The declaration constitutes an African complement to existing international legal and institutional frameworks for child protection.
Morocco also called for the systematic integration of child protection and reintegration into disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programs, as well as post-conflict peacebuilding initiatives.
It further stressed the need to strengthen psychosocial support for children formerly associated with armed groups and to promote their sustainable reintegration.