Sub-regional, regional and international cooperation remains crucial in the fight against cross-border organized crime, said Morocco’s Permanent Representative to International Organizations in Vienna, Azzeddine Farhane, on Tuesday.
“Morocco remains convinced that the fight against organized crime can only succeed through continued awareness, concerted strategies, coordinated approaches and oriented actions aimed at preventing and combating cross-border organized crime,” he said. said Mr. Farhane in a speech on the occasion of the 12th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (CTOC), which is being held from October 14 to 18 in Vienna. The diplomat, in this context, emphasized the importance of the principle of shared responsibility which must be the cornerstone of any tangible action based on a common, realistic, sustainable and constructive vision, far from any narrow and driven by ideological or political considerations.
He also highlighted the efforts that Morocco continues to deploy to meet the challenges posed by migrant smuggling, human trafficking and terrorism, in accordance with the Kingdom’s firm commitment to supporting international efforts to combat all forms of cross-border crime. Morocco is convinced that the conclusion of bilateral and regional agreements gives additional impetus to global efforts to combat transnational organized crime, he said, recalling that the Kingdom has signed more than 90 bilateral judicial cooperation agreements in criminal matters with several States from different geographical regions”.
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At the continental level, as part of its participation in the Peace and Security Council of the African Union (AU), the Kingdom has contributed substantially to the development of collective responses to global and regional issues, including terrorism, climate change and food security, as part of the High Vision of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, for a peaceful, stable and prosperous Africa, noted the diplomat. In terms of migration, and as part of its management of migratory flows, Morocco has adopted, since the last decade, the “National Strategy for Immigration and Asylum”, based on solidarity, inclusiveness and a humanist approach, which allowed thousands of immigrants to access the labor market and professional training, public school for their children, as well as the right to create associations and cooperatives, and to benefit public health care services, he continued.
At the level of the African continent, and in its capacity as leader of the AU on the issue of migration, Morocco organized, on April 18, 2024, the North Africa Regional Ministerial Conference, on the theme “Pan-Africanism and migration”, which endorsed the “Rabat Declaration”, calling for the mobilization of migrants and Afro-descendants as part of the renewal of pan-Africanism around the reform of multilateral institutions and better representation of Africa in the global governance, he said. Furthermore, Mr. Farhane noted that Morocco has placed the fight against terrorism at the forefront of its security priorities, and has developed, in accordance with the High Guidelines of HM King Mohammed VI, a holistic and integrated strategy to fight against terrorism. terrorism, based on a three-pillar approach: strengthening internal security, the fight against poverty and reform of the religious field.
Regarding Morocco’s contribution to global action in the fight against terrorism, the Kingdom has co-chaired, since 2016, the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF), for three consecutive mandates, which led to developing good practices and tools for decision-makers and practitioners to strengthen civilian counter-terrorism capacities, national strategies, action plans and training modules. In addition, Morocco hosts, in Rabat, the United Nations Office for Counter-Terrorism in Africa, which offers training on the fight against terrorism, border security management, prevention of radicalization and promotion of human rights in the fight against terrorism. Since its inauguration in 2021, the United Nations Office to Combat Terrorism in Africa has trained more than 1,500 African experts, thus strengthening the continent’s capacity to confront this threat, Mr. Farhane said.
Additionally, and in view of these substantial contributions to global efforts to combat transnational organized crime, the Kingdom was unanimously elected to host the 93rd session of the Interpol General Assembly in 2025, during the 91st session of the Assembly, which was held in Vienna last December. Note that Morocco was elected by acclamation, on behalf of Africa, vice-president of the 12th Conference of the CTOC, chaired by Slovakia.
With MAP
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