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Doha – French Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin arrived in Morocco on Sunday for a 24-hour visit aimed at strengthening judicial cooperation between Paris and Rabat, marking his first visit in his current role as justice minister.
In an interview with Moroccan television channel 2M’s Ihssane Benbel, Darmanin commended the judicial cooperation between the two countries. “This cooperation is excellent,” he said.
“The exceptional work that Morocco does in terms of intelligence and the fight against radicalization provides us with enormous amounts of information, and we manage to work together to prevent attacks,” the minister articulated.
Addressing asset confiscation from drug traffickers, Darmanin disclosed: “We’re talking about houses, apartments, cars, sometimes cryptocurrencies that need to be seized, which Moroccan services do very well. However, we still have a small difficulty between us regarding confiscation.”
He stressed that “in judicial cases, we seize a lot, but we confiscate relatively little on both sides of the Mediterranean. This absolutely needs to be improved.”
The minister is set to engage in talks today with Moroccan Justice Minister Abdellatif Ouahbi and the King’s Prosecutor General, El-Hassan Daki.
Additionally, Darmanin is scheduled to meet with M’hammed Abdenabaoui, First President of the Court of Cassation, which handles extradition matters in Morocco.
Key agenda items encompass counter-terrorism efforts and organized crime, with particular focus on the French Agency for Managing and Recovering Seized and Confiscated Assets (Agrasc), which Darmanin believes could assist Morocco in this domain.
The two countries are experiencing increasing success in their bilateral cooperation. Moroccan authorities recently dismantled several cells linked to the Islamic State in the Sahel region, preventing planned attacks. The cooperation has also led to notable arrests, including two major French drug lords who were subsequently extradited to France.
This visit follows Darmanin’s previous engagement in Morocco in April 2024, when he served as Interior Minister and discussed security partnership ahead of the Paris Olympics.
During that visit, he voiced high remarks for Morocco’s role in apprehending several high-profile French drug traffickers, including Félix Bingui in Casablanca and Mohamed Amine Yahiaoui in Marrakech.
Beyond judicial cooperation
The minister’s visit occurs amid discussions about streamlining the issuance of consular passes, documents essential for France to expel irregular migrants without passports.
French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau had previously announced an agreement between both countries to expedite the expulsion process for individuals under obligation to leave French territory.
Darmanin’s current visit amplifies broader diplomatic momentum between France and Morocco. It succeeds recent visits by French Culture Minister Rachida Dati, who established a milestone as the first French government official to visit the southern provinces in the Sahara, and Senate President Gérard Larcher.
These diplomatic engagements reflect the renewed partnership between the two countries, particularly following France’s official recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty over its Sahara region.
The minister also espoused plans to enhance civil law cooperation between Paris and Rabat, contending that improvements would address various matters – including marriages, inheritances, and divorces.
Read also: Former French Intelligence Chief: Morocco Has Always Led the Fight Against Terrorism
