Morocco calls for more flexible UN peacekeeping mandates

Wednesday 20 - 13:59

By: Dakir Madiha

Morocco calls for more flexible UN peacekeeping mandates

At a meeting held in Rabat, Morocco urged a reassessment of United Nations peacekeeping mandates to ensure they reflect evolving conditions on the ground. The call was made by Nasser Bourita, who stressed that operations disconnected from current conflict dynamics risk freezing crises rather than contributing to their resolution.

Bourita said peacekeeping missions must be designed with clearer priorities, realistic objectives, and regular evaluations. He argued that overly broad mandates reduce operational effectiveness and limit the ability of missions to adapt to rapidly changing security environments marked by fragmented armed groups and shifting political realities.

The minister highlighted that modern peace operations are increasingly deployed in unstable contexts characterized by asymmetric threats and growing hostility toward international personnel. He warned that attacks on peacekeepers undermine global stabilization efforts and called for stronger measures to ensure accountability and protection for deployed forces.

He also emphasized that peacekeeping missions should remain temporary instruments that support political solutions rather than replace them. According to him, sustainable peace requires locally driven agreements, while international missions should act as facilitators rather than long-term substitutes for governance.

Morocco’s experience in peacekeeping was also presented as part of its contribution to international stability efforts. The country has participated in United Nations operations since 1960, deploying tens of thousands of personnel to missions such as MINUSCA and MONUSCO in the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Bourita called on Francophone countries to strengthen coordination and enhance their collective role in global peace operations.