MINUSCA recently paid tribute to three peacekeepers, including one Moroccan blue helmet. The three peacekeepers lost their lives while on duty in CAR.
Rabat – Morocco’s government is stafisted with its leading role in promoting peace in the Central African Republic (CAR).
Morocco’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation, and Moroccans residing abroad, Nasser Bourita, has said that Morocco is currently the peacekeeping mission’s “most committed” African partner.
Speaking to the press in Rabat on Friday, November 15, following a meeting with the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for the Central African Republic (CAR) and Head of the UN Stabilization Mission in CAR (MINUSCA), Mankeur Ndiaye, Bourita cited Morocco’s peacekeeping and security efforts across the African continent and in UN-led coalitions.
“Morocco pledges its commitment to the efforts of the international community to maintain and consolidate peace, so that the kingdom is today the most committed African partner for peace,” he said.
Ndiaye visited Morocco as part of the kingdom’s “multifaceted support” in CAR.
Bourita added that Morocco has deployed 762 blue helmets to support MINUSCA.
Praising Moroccan Blue helmets on duty in CAR, the Moroccan FM highlighted their success in establishing bonds of trust with local people “regardless of their religious affiliations.”
He added that Morocco is not only providing support at the UN level but also at the level of theAfrican Union, recalling Morocco’s membership of the UN Peace and Security Council.
Morocco has always been on the side of its “sister” country, CAR, and maintains a “dense and varied cooperation relationship” with the African country, the Moroccan minister added.
Ndiaye’s visit comes just a day after MINUSCA paid tribute to three peacekeepers who lost their lives while on duty. The list of the peacekeepers included Moroccan blue helmet Saad Zghari.
Zghari was part of the 9th Armored Squadron Group of the Moroccan Royal Armed Forces (FAR). He joined the MINUSCA forces on May 24, 2018. The Moroccan soldier died on June 19, 2019, aged just 24. “His contingent commander remembers him as a brilliant soldier, very disciplined, respectful and loyal to his duties to protect civilians,” MINUSCA said in a statement.
Since the founding of the UN, Morocco has sent 60,000 soldiers on peacekeeping missions in 17 operations around the world.
