Morocco’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation, and Moroccan Expatriates, Nasser Bourita, announced on Wednesday in New York that Rabat will host, on December 2–3, 2025, the first Conference on Victims of Terrorism in Africa.
The conference on African victims of terrorism will be organized by Morocco with the support of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT). Its main objective is to raise international awareness of the dramatic situation of African victims, to hear their testimonies firsthand, to identify their priority needs, and to share best practices in terms of support and rehabilitation.
Speaking at the 2025 Ministerial Meeting of the Group of Friends of Victims of Terrorism, organized by UNOCT in collaboration with Iraq and Spain, Bourita stated that the Rabat conference “will mark a turning point in the international approach to supporting victims on the continent,” stressing that African victims of terrorism, if supported and empowered, can become powerful voices against radicalization and extremism.
The minister also reaffirmed Morocco’s commitment to promoting the rights and protection of victims of terrorism, particularly in Africa, where “nearly 60% of the world’s victims are recorded.”
He praised the efforts of the Group of Friends of Victims of Terrorism, which, since 2019, “has helped advance the international agenda in favor of victims and strengthen the implementation of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy.”
The minister stressed that “behind every life lost to terrorism, there are families and entire communities deeply scarred by long-term psychological trauma and material hardship.”
He highlighted the importance of giving victims a voice and strengthening international solidarity, citing the Congress of Vitoria in Spain and the launch of the Victims of Terrorism Associations Network (VoTAN) in April 2025 as structuring initiatives.
Nasser Bourita noted that Africa “is paying a heavy price,” with a growing number of people killed in terrorist attacks, stressing the need for “institutionalized mechanisms tailored specifically to the African context, in order to meet the concrete needs of victims and their communities.”
The minister concluded by reiterating Morocco’s conviction that “peaceful communities mean a peaceful continent,” while calling for solidarity to be transformed into concrete actions in support of victims of terrorism.
