HIBAPRESS
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, Nasser Bourita, called today in Rabat for the development of a legal mechanism to effectively combat the phenomenon of child soldiers.
Bourita, in a speech during the opening of the African Ministerial Conference on Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration of Child Soldiers, expressed his regret for the persistence of the legal vacuum and the absence of a common legal basis in Africa to combat the phenomenon of child soldiers comprehensively, stressing that the time has come for Africa to have a legal mechanism appropriate to its reality and capable of effectively addressing the current gaps.
He explained, in this regard, that a legal mechanism of this kind would constitute a historic step towards bridging a legal gap, and would allow the adaptation of existing international standards to the reality experienced by the continent, as well as enhance the ability of African countries to prosecute the perpetrators of these crimes.
After highlighting the spirit of solidarity, brotherhood and common destiny that His Majesty King Mohammed VI has always defended in Africa, the Minister affirmed that "the Kingdom of Morocco has consistently defended Africa, confident in the full potential of its youth, protecting its children, and committed to defending their dignity."
He emphasized that the Rabat conference embodies the shared responsibility and the firm commitment to address one of the most pressing ethical challenges of our time, namely the recruitment and use of children in armed conflicts.
When addressing the worrying situation of the child soldier phenomenon, Bourita pointed out that the efforts made in Africa are insufficient, as the number of child soldiers in the continent is estimated at 120,000 children, which represents 40 percent of the recruited children worldwide.
He continued that in-depth reflection on this phenomenon reveals that the continued recruitment of children by armed groups undermines all efforts to restore stability in the affected countries, noting that despite some encouraging progress, disarmament, demobilization and reintegration initiatives remain incomplete, and even poorly designed in some cases, in addition to the continuous absence of a comprehensive and multi-dimensional approach, both African and comprehensive at the same time.
In his speech on the involvement of separatist and terrorist groups in exacerbating this phenomenon, the Minister warned that in the twenty-first century, and on African lands, separatist movements and terrorist groups still exploit children in their criminal activities with complete impunity, stressing that silence should not be maintained in the face of this heinous crime of child recruitment, whether it occurs near us or anywhere else.
He added that a crime of this type should not be tolerated, given its horrific nature, and that the responsibility for these acts remains absolute and does not lapse with the statute of limitations on the perpetrators, individuals, leaders of separatist groups, and the countries that harbor and support them.
To this end, Bourita proposed the establishment of a "Group of Friends of Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration Concerned with Children", which will benefit from political leadership and legal expertise with the aim of drafting an African convention on the prevention of child recruitment and the reintegration of children associated with armed conflicts.
