To confirm and consolidate "the Africa we want", the Continent needs security, stability and peace, said Mr. Jazouli, who led the Moroccan delegation to the 14th African Union Extraordinary Session of the Assembly on Silencing the Guns, held via videoconference.

To achieve this, three axes are essential, said the minister delegate: to jointly take the necessary measures to defeat terrorism and religious extremism; prevent the illicit circulation of small arms and light weapons; and adopt a Union policy on peace support operations, based on clarity and the preservation of the fundamental principles of Peacekeeping Operations.

In this regard, Mr. Jazouli said that the AU draft doctrine on Peace Support Operations "should be inspired by these principles", deeming it necessary to introduce the principle of "subsidiarity" which gives the UN Security Council primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security.

The minister delegate underlined that, based on its awareness of the unwavering link between security and development, Morocco, under the leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, "is working with seriousness and pragmatism to translate into action" the decisions of the AU.

Noting that Morocco has always called for "multidimensional, integrated and concerte" approaches, Mr. Jazouli recalled the convening in the Kingdom of the Libyan Dialogue which led to the Skhirat Agreement in December 2015, noting that these efforts have continued over the past months, with several rounds of negotiations held in the Kingdom, to advance dialogue between the Libyan parties.

Mr. Jazouli underlined that achieving the objectives of silencing the guns in Africa requires the respect, by the Member States and the Commission, of the decisions taken by the Union.

"To attempt to infringe them as was the case with Commissioner Chergui who gave himself the freedom to raise the issue of the Moroccan Sahara while the examination of this question is framed by Decision 693 which reserves this attribution to the Troika, is an attempt to push our august assembly away from its objective in order to fulfill national designs not worthy of a high official of the Commission bound by the obligation of neutrality", he pointed out.

He said, in this regard, that Morocco supports the adoption of the draft declaration and decision as submitted to the Assembly by the Executive Council.

The 14th African Union Extraordinary Session of the Assembly on Silencing the Guns opened Sunday via videoconference with the participation of Morocco.

Held on the theme "Silencing the Guns: Creating Conducive Conditions for Africa’s Development", the meeting is expected to tackle the means to end armed conflicts.

A report of the Chairperson of the Commission on the Activities and Efforts Towards Silencing the Guns in Africa will be presented in the meeting.

Participants are also expected to adopt the Johannesburg Declaration on Silencing the Guns.