Bourita outlines King Mohammed VI’s anti-terror vision for Africa at Marrakech platform

Morocco’s foreign minister reaffirmed his country’s commitment to stability and “afro-optimism” in the face of the continent’s challenges during the Marrakech Platform.

1. About the Marrakech Platform

Morocco’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, Nasser Bourita, laid out on Tuesday in El Jadida King Mohammed VI’s vision to address security threats in Africa and support the continent’s development and prosperity.

Speaking at the opening session of the 5th High-Level Meeting of heads of counter-terrorism and security agencies in Africa — held as part of the Marrakech Platform and co-chaired by Morocco and the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism — Bourita analyzed the current regional security landscape.

He highlighted several worrying developments, including:

• The expansion and regionalization of terrorism across the continent.
• The rise of armed conflicts.
• The close ties between terrorist groups, separatist movements and transnational crime.
• Emerging challenges linked to technological shifts and artificial intelligence.

Against this backdrop, Bourita stressed that the Royal Vision offers a comprehensive framework for understanding African realities. He recalled that the King’s policy toward the region is fundamentally a policy of belonging. For Morocco, Africa is neither a neighboring continent nor a simple diplomatic option, but a reality to which the country belongs geographically, culturally, politically, institutionally and historically.

Similarly, Bourita emphasized that Morocco’s action rests on the conviction that the continent’s development, stability and security are intimately connected to those of the country itself. He asserted that Morocco’s commitment to counter-terrorism is not optional but stems from a historical responsibility toward the security of its environment.

Bourita also highlighted the principle of afro-optimism guiding Morocco’s approach. Despite security challenges, he said Morocco views Africa as the continent of the future, confident that it possesses the resources, means and ingenuity to overcome its hurdles.

About the Marrakech Platform

Launched in 2022, this initiative brings together heads of African security agencies and international partners to strengthen cooperation against shared threats.

This latest edition follows previous gatherings in Marrakech (2022), Tangier (2023), Fez (2024) and Agadir (2025), cementing the platform as a key forum for experience-sharing and capacity-building across the continent.