Doha – Royal Armed Forces Inspector General Mohammed Berrid received UN Mission Commander Division General Fakhrul Ahsan Thursday at the Southern Zone headquarters in Agadir.
The meeting brought together senior military officials from both organizations as part of regular consultations between FAR and the United Nations mission operating in Morocco’s southern provinces.
Colonel Alexander Kask, Chief of Staff of the UN mission force, accompanied General Ahsan to the high-level talks. The commanders discussed ongoing mission activities and examined coordination mechanisms that have developed between the two military structures over recent months.
Both sides acknowledged the exceptional level of cooperation achieved in operational coordination, security, demining efforts, and logistical support.
The productive working relationship has enabled smoother implementation of mission objectives despite regional challenges that continue to complicate peacekeeping efforts.
These periodic encounters between FAR leadership and UN commanders have become instrumental in maintaining effective communication channels. During these meetings, they discuss operational concerns while strengthening collaborative frameworks established since the mission’s deployment in the territory.
A commitment to peacekeeping
Morocco’s military contributions to international peacekeeping provide critical context to this collaboration. With a legacy of over 65 years in UN peace operations, the country currently ranks as the world’s eighth-largest contributor, fielding 1,718 blue berets across four theaters of operations in the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, and South Sudan.
Moroccan peacekeepers are deployed under diverse mandates — from civilian protection to post-conflict stabilization — earning widespread recognition for their discipline and effectiveness.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres paid tribute to Morocco’s peacekeeping contributions during the 2024 International Peacekeepers’ Day ceremony, posthumously honoring two Moroccan soldiers who lost their lives while serving in the Central African Republic under the UN flag.
Likewise, in his address marking the 69th anniversary of the Royal Armed Forces last week, King Mohammed VI stressed the urgent need for military vigilance and professionalism in the face of unprecedented regional and international disruptions.
He also gave high remarks for the men and women of the FAR “who watch over our land, air, and sea borders day and night, as well as the various units stationed in our Moroccan Sahara, for their dedication in fulfilling their sacred duty to protect the unity of the Homeland and its security—giving full meaning to the values of solid cohesion that characterize all Moroccans in the defense of their first national cause.”
During the 2025 UN Peacekeeping Ministerial in Berlin, Morocco’s delegation shared field-based recommendations calling for mission mandates grounded in on-the-ground realities.
The country also advocated for the value of specialized pre-deployment training. To that end, it has established a Peacekeeping Training Center of Excellence in Benslimane, set to become a regional hub for advanced operational preparation.
Separatist violations derail peacekeeping framework
However, the Polisario Front’s systematic ceasefire violations have severely disrupted MINURSO operations since November 2020. The separatist movement unilaterally abandoned its commitments under Military Agreement No. 1, which it had signed with the United Nations in 1991 following years of armed conflict.
The separatist group’s decision to terminate ceasefire obligations has destabilized the buffer zone and undermined decades of peacekeeping progress. Polisario continues provoking confrontations in the demilitarized area while attacking international institutions through inflammatory rhetoric and accusations of bias.
Morocco maintains strict adherence to the military agreement despite persistent provocations from the separatist group. FAR continues supporting MINURSO operations within available parameters while defending national territory against repeated infiltration attempts and armed harassment.
The separatist front’s escalating recklessness has deeply unsettled international observers, who now sound urgent warnings over the growing risk of conflict in the Western Sahara.
Polisario’s blatant contempt for UN authority, coupled with its willful and repeated breaches of international law, constitutes a grave threat to regional peace and security.
The militia, increasingly viewed as a terrorist group and reportedly under consideration for formal designation, undermines the very foundations of multilateral diplomacy and fuels instability across North Africa.
