AU-PSC: Morocco favors regional, international cooperation to fight transnational organized crime

Morocco has always favored the path of regional, interregional and international cooperation, based on the principles of common and shared responsibility, to respond to the multidimensional threats posed by the phenomenon of transnational organized crime.

The remarks were made by a Moroccan delegation taking part in a meeting of the AU Peace and Security Council (PSC) on transnational organized crime and security in Africa, held Friday in Addis Ababa.

The delegation, led by Morocco’s Permanent Representative to the African Union and the UNECA, Mohamed Arrouchi, underlined the role the Kingdom plays in terms of exchanging expertise and financial intelligence through its Financial Intelligence Processing Unit, within the framework of sharing financial intelligence with the international units in charge of the fight against money laundering.

Morocco has signed more than 80 agreements and partnerships in this area since 2014, it pointed out, recalling that as part of the Kingdom’s efforts in the fight against terrorism and transnational organized crime, Morocco is preparing to host the meeting of the international coalition against the terrorist group “Daesh” in Marrakech.

Organized crime in Africa has become a matter of international concern in recent years, given the large shipments of cocaine and light weapons that have been detected transiting through Africa.

Transnational organized crime, including arms trafficking, human trafficking, migrant smuggling, toxic waste, fraudulent drugs, cigarettes… threatens the stability and development of the continent, the delegation said, adding that the fight against organized crime remains a precondition for the consolidation of peace, security and political stability.

The best bulwark against transnational organized crime, beyond interstate cooperation and the involvement of the UN apparatus, lies for each country in the promotion of sustainable human development, the establishment of stable democratic institutions and rights and good governance at the economic and social levels.

The Moroccan delegation, which expressed deep concern over the growing threat posed by transnational organized crime, in particular through its increasingly direct links and collusion with terrorism, violent extremism and separatism, underlined the imperative to strengthen intra and interregional cooperation as a prerequisite for an effective fight against organized crime, both at the continental and international levels.

The Moroccan delegation also called for the adoption of crime prevention and criminal justice reform measures, paying particular attention to continental cooperation and the sharing of information in the fight against transnational organized crime, the strengthening of international cooperation and rapprochement with international partners with a view to obtaining technical and financial support, participation in regional, continental and international forums and the acceleration of extradition and mutual legal assistance agreements.

The Moroccan delegation also called for destroying the capacities of terrorist organizations and other non-state armed groups, including insurgents and separatist groups, to finance their activities through criminal activities such as drugs and psychotropic substances, human trafficking, arms trafficking, among other forms of transnational organized crime.

The delegation also stressed the need to preserve the civilian character of refugee camps and to combat the flow, proliferation and illicit trafficking of arms and psychotropic substances within these camps.

The Moroccan delegation warned the international community against the deterioration of the socio-economic and humanitarian situation in Africa, particularly in the refugee camps where such a situation favors the emergence of fanatical and radicalized young people, given that it contributes to the spread of violent extremism among these young people who lack prospects for the future.