Rabat – In the presence of officials, ambassadors, and experts, Morocco’s Rabat hosted the annual presentation of the 2022 Global Terrorism Index report on March 30.
Put together by the Institute of Economics & Peace, the report compiles data on the state of global terrorism threats, and identifies key factors contributing to the rise of terrorist attacks.
While presenting the major trends identified this year, Steve Killelea, founder and executive chairman of the Institute for Economics and Peace, pointed to the strong correlation between political instability and intensifying terrorist attacks.
“There is a strong correlation between ecological degradation and the use of violence or the fact that there is conflict,” Serge Stroobants, Director of Europe & MENA, Institute for Economics and Peace told Morocco World News.
The major trends emerging from this year’s report indicate that exposure to climate threats increases the threat of terrorist attacks.
Countries with the least amount of resources available to counter the ecological threat emerging from climate change are the same countries with the highest level of exposure to climate threats, rendering them even more vulnerable to terrorist attacks, Killelea lamented.
Morocco in the 2022 Global Terrorism Index
The 2022 Global Terrorism Index ranked Morocco among the safest countries in the world, in terms of exposure to terrorist attacks.
Morocco’s effective counter-terrorism measures place the country high at the top in the list of countries that are continuously shifting strategies to counter emerging forms of terrorism, the report points out.
While Morocco remains a target for terrorist groups operating in the Sahel Region, the impact of terrorism in the country is “very low,” according to the report.
Morocco has been present in regional and international counter-terrorism efforts. Morocco has made large-scale efforts to understand the root cause of terrorism and address it, Stroobants explained. “We see a strong involvement of the Moroccan government in international organizations dealing with counter-terrorism.”
The country is setting an international benchmark for effective counter-terrorism operations, rising 28 ranks in the span of two years, after ranking 74th in 2021.
In addition to contouring terrorism at home, Morocco is positioned as a strong regional and international ally in the fight against terrorism.
In 2020, Morocco and the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) launched a joint training program for Counter-Terrorism and Training in Africa.
Headquartered in Rabat, the program is the first of its kind in Africa. The office will offer a wide range of training programs pertaining to countering terrorism activities for law enforcement officers on the continent.
Morocco’s intelligence-sharing agreement with other countries has prevented a significant number of planned terrorist attacks in France, Belgium, India, Italy, Spain, Germany, Burkina Faso, and Sri Lanka.
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