Morocco was not directly involved in the process to develop a Political Declaration on the use of explosive weapons in populated areas. It was, however, among the first group of states to endorse the Political Declaration in Dublin in November 2022. At the signing ceremony in Dublin in November 2022, Morocco recognised the harm caused by explosive weapons in populated areas, particularly to women and children, and expressed concern about the lack of accountability by non-state actors. Morocco also underlined the danger caused by the inaccuracy of the weapons, and said its armed forces are trained in compliance with IHL. 1
Statements and positions
During the June 2012 UN Security Council Open Debate on the protection of civilians in armed conflict Morocco noted that “the use of artillery against urban zones, and the shelling of buildings and social edifices such as hospitals, schools and places of worship, are not only contrary to international humanitarian and human rights law but are, above all, unjustified and unjustifiable. It is our collective duty to put an end to it.”2 In 2018, Morocco issued a statement regarding the use of explosive weapons in populated areas during the Annual Meeting of High Contracting Parties to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, recognising the humanitarian harm from explosive weapons in populated areas, and noting the process for a Political Declaration on the topic. 3
Alongside its individual statements, Morocco has also aligned with other states to deliver statements on explosive weapons in populated areas. At the Meeting of the High Contracting Parties to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons in 2024, a working paper submitted by the Arab Group, of which Morocco is a member, drew attention to the Political Declaration, and the importance of strengthening civilian protection from the humanitarian consequences of explosive weapons in populated areas. 4
Morocco did not participate in the 2017 Maputo Regional Meeting on Protecting Civilians from the Use of Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas. It nevertheless expressed its support for the resulting Maputo Communiqué. 5 Morocco is also a member of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), which is aligned with the World Humanitarian Summit Core Commitments to “Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity”, in May 2016, including the commitment: “to promote and enhance the protection of civilians and civilian objects, especially in the conduct of hostilities, for instance by working to prevent civilian harm resulting from the use of wide-area explosive weapons in populated areas, and by sparing civilian infrastructure from military use in the conduct of military operations.” 6
Implementation of the Political Declaration
Morocco attended the first international implementation conference on the Political Declaration in Oslo, Norway in April 2024, and the second implementation conference in San Jose, Costa Rica in November 2025. Speaking on a panel on military policies and practices in Oslo, Morocco emphasised its adherence to international humanitarian law and highlighted national policies and practices that prioritise civilian protection and apply detailed tactics, techniques, and procedures governing explosive weapons use. These include civilian-risk assessments in planning, integration of coordination with humanitarian actors, and employ precision munitions and collateral-damage estimation tools to minimise civilian harms. 7 It noted that pre-deployment training is provided on explosive weapons and protection of civilians to Moroccan troops taking part in United Nations Peacekeeping Operations. Morocco also stated that it was committed to collaborating with international partners and sharing knowledge and best practices because it recognises the importance of collective efforts to promote the Political Declaration. 8
Speaking at the San Jose conference, during a panel discussion on aligning commitments with practice, Morocco reiterated its commitment to the Declaration and hopes for additional endorsements, particularly among African states, and pointed to the regional Rabat workshop on explosive weapons as having engaged endorsing and non-endorsing states in the MENA region and beyond. Reaffirming its strong engagement and willingness to share best practices, Morocco emphasised the need for national ownership, including integrating the Declaration’s commitments into national legal and other frameworks, to ensure lasting change and ensure consistent and universal protection of civilians from the effects of explosive weapons. 9
Morocco has also reported that it has integrates awareness on explosive weapons into its IHL curriculum at military academies and specialised centres, ensuring that officers understand the Declaration’s humanitarian objectives, and that it conducts protection-of-civilians risk assessments during planning and exercises, with civil-military coordination to mitigate harm and enable safe humanitarian access. 10 On victim assistance, Morocco has stated that it is aligning national victim-assistance frameworks with the Declaration, and that current humanitarian measures that include ensuring access to affected populations, providing medical and psychological assistance, and conducting demining and risk-education activities. 11