The meeting, jointly initiated by Morocco, Luxembourg, and Guatemala, was held on the sidelines of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly. It brought together Luxembourg’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Xavier Bettel, and Guatemala’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mónica Bolaños Pérez.
Morocco’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, Nasser Bourita, co-chaired on Tuesday in New York a ministerial meeting marking the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the principle of the "Responsibility to Protect" (R2P).
In his address, Mr. Bourita deplored the persistence of "mass atrocities, mainly targeting civilian populations," recalling that the creation of the United Nations was meant to "definitively put an end to genocides, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and ethnic cleansing after the Second World War."
Referring to the situation in Gaza, the Moroccan diplomat stressed that this territory, "marked by famine, massacres, and forced displacement, illustrates the total failure of the international community" to protect civilians and exposes "the wide gap between fine words and harsh reality."
What is happening in Gaza, he said, "simply demonstrates the inability of the UN, its bodies, and its member states to uphold a principle they have defended for at least 20 years."
In today’s complex geopolitical context, the notion of responsibility to protect has never been more relevant, given the alarming number of civilian victims worldwide, Mr. Bourita underlined.
"As we celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the adoption of the responsibility to protect agenda, this concept must evolve, because the world is undergoing a profound transformation," he stated.
Mr. Bourita further stressed that the principles and objectives of the UN Charter, the norms of international humanitarian law, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights "remain effective tools, particularly within the framework of UN peacekeeping operations."
Guided by the vision of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, Morocco has acquired valuable expertise in peacekeeping operations, especially in Africa, he noted.
Thanks to its presence, actions, and contributions on the ground, Morocco has gained the trust of civilian populations, an essential condition for restoring lasting peace, despite the complex challenges of our era, including disinformation and hate speech, Mr. Bourita said.
Morocco, which has made the political and moral choice to join this Group of Friends of the Responsibility to Protect, will remain committed to placing the protection of human beings at the heart of its national and international priorities, while emphasizing the need to preserve human dignity and prevent atrocities through collective and responsible action.
MAP: 24 September 2025
