- Morocco urged full implementation of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, calling disarmament a political and moral imperative.
- It also supported peaceful nuclear use under IAEA oversight and global rules for AI weapons and space security.
Morocco’s Foreign Minister, Nasser Bourita, has described nuclear disarmament as a political and moral imperative. He urged the full and effective implementation of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), which he called the cornerstone of global stability.
In a message delivered on his behalf by Morocco’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, Omar Zniber, Bourita addressed the high-level segment of the Conference on Disarmament. Morocco is chairing the Conference from 23 to 25 February.
Bourita stated that nuclear disarmament allows no deviation. He reaffirmed Morocco’s firm commitment to the NPT and underlined that the treaty forms the foundation of the global non-proliferation regime. Rabat continues to cooperate closely with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to implement its treaty obligations.
Morocco holds the presidency of the Conference on Disarmament until 13 March. The body remains the only permanent multilateral negotiating forum within the United Nations system mandated to negotiate disarmament treaties. However, prolonged paralysis in recent years has raised concerns about the effectiveness of the international security framework.
Rising geopolitical rivalries, deepening mistrust among states and ongoing armed conflicts have weakened the multilateral disarmament system, Bourita warned. These pressures have narrowed the space for compromise. Nevertheless, he argued that the current climate makes dialogue and practical cooperation even more urgent.
He called for full compliance with the NPT. At the same time, he reaffirmed the inalienable right of states parties to develop and use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes under Article IV of the treaty. Such rights, he stressed, must be exercised within a framework of strengthened international cooperation and strict IAEA oversight.
Morocco ratified the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty in 2000 and continues to advocate for the universal adoption of key disarmament instruments.
Beyond nuclear weapons, Bourita addressed emerging security risks, including artificial intelligence and autonomous weapons systems. He called for the development of an international normative framework to ensure effective human oversight of such technologies. In addition, he urged renewed multilateral dialogue to prevent the militarisation of outer space.
Morocco consistently supports the establishment of a Middle East and North Africa zone free of nuclear weapons. At the same time, the country maintains strategic partnerships with major powers and does not pursue nuclear deterrent capabilities.
The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons prohibits states parties from developing, testing, producing, acquiring or stockpiling nuclear weapons. It also bans their transfer or receipt, directly or indirectly.
For Rabat, revitalising the Conference on Disarmament is essential to addressing the substantive and multiple challenges confronting the United Nations system, particularly at a time when confidence in multilateral institutions is under strain.