Rabat — Morocco is strengthening its fight against transnational organized crime through legislative and institutional innovation, enhanced operational efficiency, and increased international cooperation, Justice Minister Abdellatif Ouahbi announced Thursday at the opening of an international seminar in Rabat.
The two-day seminar, organized by the Supreme Council of Judicial Power (CSPJ) in partnership with the French Ministry of Justice, gathered experts and officials to discuss the evolving challenges and strategies in fighting organized crime.
In his speech, Minister Ouahbi outlined that Morocco’s model is built around four main pillars: legislative and institutional innovation through specialized structures, proactive security measures for operational effectiveness, international cooperation, and scientific and developmental approaches.
Highlighting Morocco’s progress, the minister noted that the country holds an advanced position in the fight against organized crime, with a score of 4.80 points, below the African average of 5.25 points, reflecting ongoing improvements in this field.
On the legislative front, the Ministry of Justice continues to enhance Morocco’s legal framework against organized crime by drafting new laws and updating existing ones to counter new criminal tactics. Among these initiatives, Ouahbi mentioned the proposed law on criminal procedure and the establishment of the National Agency for the Recovery and Management of Seized and Confiscated Assets.
French Ambassador to Morocco, Christophe Lecourtier, emphasized the broad impact of organized crime, noting that it extends far beyond criminal justice. He warned that criminal organizations pose a serious threat to societal stability, security, and economic systems worldwide.
Lecourtier specifically cited drug and human trafficking, terrorism, and money laundering as major threats that can undermine the rule of law and democratic institutions through corruption and violence.
Ambassador Lecourtier stressed that only sustained international cooperation can effectively counter these networks, stating, “No country, no matter how powerful, can effectively act alone against a globalized organized crime that disregards borders.”
He highlighted the strong partnership between Morocco and France as a cornerstone of regional security, recalling the enhanced strategic partnership formalized last October in Rabat by King Mohammed VI and French President Emmanuel Macron. This cooperation continues to deepen judicial collaboration in the fight against organized crime.
The seminar, held under the theme “Organized Crime: Challenges and Shared Responsibilities,” features numerous discussions and panels focusing on topics such as the global threat of organized crime, the evolution of judicial organizations to meet new challenges, strategies for combatting organized crime, evidence-gathering techniques, and the importance of international legal cooperation.
