Morocco, France Enter New Era of Justice Cooperation with Minister Visit

Morocco World

10-03-2025

Doha – Morocco and France signed a joint declaration Monday to strengthen their judicial and legal cooperation, focusing on counterterrorism and organized crime, as part of their strategic partnership.
The meeting provided an opportunity to conduct an in-depth review of progress in legal and judicial cooperation between the two countries and explore future collaboration prospects.
Moroccan Minister of Justice Abdellatif Ouahbi and his French counterpart Gérald Darmanin sealed the agreement in Rabat, building upon the action plan signed in May 2024.
The ministers stressed the strategic importance of counterterrorism efforts, acknowledging it as a major threat both nationally and internationally that heavily impacts sovereignty, security, economy, environment, and development of both nations.
The ministers reiterated their commitment to address contemporary challenges, including facilitating legal procedures for Moroccan residents in France, particularly regarding personal status and family rights.
'A deep friendship and renewed partnership'
Morocco has emerged as a key counterterrorism reference, recently dismantling a major Daesh cell operating across nine cities in February. The operation, led by BCIJ and DGST, arrested twelve suspects and uncovered a sophisticated weapons cache.
Since 2002, Morocco has dismantled over 200 terrorist cells linked to Sahel-Sahara, Syrian, and Iraqi networks.
'This visit translates into a deep friendship and a renewed and strengthened partnership between our two countries, linked by a shared history, mutual attachment, and essential relations of brotherhood and solidarity,' Darmanin declared during his interview with 2M on Sunday.
The declaration stems from exchanges that began during the development of the May 2024 action plan, incorporating crucial strategic priorities.
Both countries affirmed their shared commitment to intensify efforts against these phenomena by mobilizing necessary resources, particularly in the legal domain.
'The more we talk, the more we prevent tragedies'
'The cooperation is excellent,' Darmanin voiced during an interview with 2M on Sunday.
'The exceptional work Morocco does in intelligence and counter-radicalization provides us with substantial information, and we manage to work together to prevent attacks.'
'Even during periods of tension, joint actions have always been carried out between Moroccan and French justice systems,' he added, pointing to the continuous nature of their collaboration. 'The more we dialogue, the more we are able to prevent tragedies.'
'We have reached an agreement on all pending issues,' Ouahbi stated, expressing confidence in the future of judicial cooperation between the two nations.
The declaration aims to modernize the judicial system through continuous training of sector professionals, implementation of administrative improvement programs, and legislative development. The ministers agreed on the importance of exchanging expertise across all justice-related fields.
The bilateral cooperation rests on a shared legal model, enriched by what the ministers described as 'judicial Francophonie' and close human relations, consolidating shared interests and deep solidarity. Both countries recalled the long tradition of trust and solidarity bonds uniting them.
Darmanin proclaimed the declaration 'a significant sign of enhanced cooperation,' while commending Moroccan magistrates' pivotal role alongside their French counterparts in combating terrorism and drug trafficking.
Darmanin also talked about the importance of civil law cooperation between the two countries, covering matters such as 'marriages, divorces, child presentation, successions, and economic support.'
Expanding judicial frameworks
During his visit, Darmanin also met with Morocco's Prosecutor General, Moulay El Hassan Daki, at the headquarters of the Public Prosecutor's Office in Rabat. Their discussions focused on expanding judicial and technical cooperation mechanisms, particularly in fighting organized and transnational crime.
The meeting also stressed advances in Morocco's judicial system, especially regarding the independence of judicial authority and the digitalization of procedures.
The French minister also met with Mohamed Abdennabaoui, First President of the Court of Cassation and Delegate President of the Supreme Council of the Judiciary (CSPJ).
Their discussions also focused on strengthening judicial cooperation and activating the twinning agreement between the Moroccan and French Courts of Cassation.
The French minister disclosed plans to improve the confiscation of assets seized from drug traffickers. 'We seize many assets – houses, apartments, cars, sometimes cryptocurrencies – but we confiscate relatively few on both sides of the Mediterranean. This must absolutely be improved,' he articulated.
'In France, out of 1.4 billion euros in seizures, only 300 million euros are actually confiscated, a figure that remains insufficient.'
'France would be less safe without Morocco'
During a joint press conference with Ouahbi, Darmanin 'sincerely thanked' Morocco for its cooperation in fighting drug trafficking, particularly regarding the recent arrest of two suspects linked to the Mohamed Amra case in Marrakech.
'These individuals arrested by Moroccan services will, we hope, be sent to French national territory in the coming days to answer for their acts before French justice,' he stated.
He also declared that 'without Morocco's work, in this specific case, but also in previous cases, and those I cannot publicly reference, France would be less safe,' Darmanin emphasized, expressing hope that the two suspects would be extradited 'in the coming days.'
The justice minister added that 'these individuals arrested by Moroccan services will, we hope, be sent to French national territory in the coming days to answer for their acts before French justice.'
After nine months on the run, Mohamed Amra was arrested in late February in Romania and handed over to France. Simultaneously, a broad investigation has led to the indictment of 27 people suspected of helping the drug trafficker in his escape and flight.
Amra had escaped while being transferred from his cell in Normandy. A commando had attacked the prison van at a toll booth using a ram-raid vehicle and assault rifles to free him, killing two prison officers and wounding three others.
After experiencing tensions a few years ago, relations between Morocco and France have improved significantly since French President Emmanuel Macron voiced strong support for Morocco's Autonomy Plan for the Western Sahara.
This visit marks Darmanin's second trip to Morocco in less than a year, following his April 2024 visit as Interior Minister.
The cooperation has yielded major results, including the arrest and extradition of major French drug traffickers, notably Félix Bingui in Casablanca and Mohamed Amine Yahiaoui in Marrakech.
Darmanin also emphasized the importance of civil law cooperation between the two countries, covering matters such as 'marriages, divorces, child presentation, successions, and economic support.'
The enhanced French-Moroccan cooperation follows similar judicial agreements Morocco recently signed with Spain and Portugal.
On March 5, Morocco and Spain signed a judicial cooperation declaration in Madrid focusing on cross-border crime fighting, while in January, Morocco and Portugal established a comparable framework in Lisbon
Both agreements particularly aimed at preparations for the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which the three countries will co-host.
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