Morocco and France seek to enhance security cooperation

Moroccan Interior Minister Abdelouafi Laftit discussed ways to enhance bilateral security cooperation on Monday with his French counterpart, Bruno Retailleau. A statement from Morocco’s Interior Ministry reported by the official Maghreb Arabe Press (MAP) said that the two ministers held talks in the capital, Rabat, on the sidelines of the Retailleau’s open-ended visit to the Kingdom, which began yesterday.

During the meeting, the two men discussed issues of common interest and prospects for enhancing bilateral cooperation. They noted “the solid foundation that security and immigration form for relations between the two countries,” and commended “the fruitful cooperation between the relevant agencies in the two countries, a cooperation based on close coordination and exchange of information.”

According to the statement, this cooperation has allowed for the effective containment of the terrorist threat and the achievement of a number of tangible successes, particularly through the dismantling of terrorist and criminal networks. “Cooperation in the field of security and migration falls within the context of a dynamic relationship based on mutual trust and similar views on strategic issues,” said the ministers.

Africans from several countries continue to attempt irregular migration through Morocco towards Europe in search of a better life, amid economic crises and armed conflicts. According to the interior ministry, the ministers agreed on the need to expand and strengthen bilateral cooperation, particularly in the areas of civil protection and the management of major incidents, which were unspecified.

Moroccan Minister of Justice Abdellatif Ouahbi and his French counterpart Gerald Darmanin signed a joint declaration on 10 March aimed at combating terrorism and organised crime in Rabat, on the sidelines of a visit by the then French official.

Since French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Morocco last October, French officials have regularly visited the Kingdom, signing agreements in several sectors.

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