Morocco, France share same resolve to upgrade their legal & judicial cooperation
Morocco and France have expressed their shared resolve to upgrade their legal and judicial cooperation, which has long been, as put by French Justice Minister, the backbone of bilateral relations.
This came in a joint declaration signed in Rabat on Monday by French Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin, who is on a working visit to Morocco, and his Moroccan peer Abdellatif Ouahbi.
The agreement, which builds on a May 31, 2024 action plan prioritizing counterterrorism and the fight against organized crime, is meant to strengthen cooperation in legal and judicial matters as part of the longstanding strategic partnership existing between the two countries.
Besides the fight against terrorism and organized crime, the agreement also provides for the modernization of the judicial system and the strengthening of its governance, training for legal professionals, and fostering legislative development through expertise exchanges.
Both ministers underscored the growing threats posed by terrorism and organized crime nationally and internationally, and stressed the impact of the scourge on security, sovereignty, and economic stability. They pledged to intensify efforts to combat these challenges, and to mobilize legal and judicial resources to this end.
Both countries also pledged to simplify legal procedures for their nationals and support reforms in civil law to enhance access to justice.
Ouahbi hailed the agreement as a step toward resolving outstanding legal issues, including revisions to agreements governing the role of lawyers in both countries.
He also emphasized efforts to facilitate legal procedures for Moroccans settled in France, particularly regarding personal status and family law.
Darmanin praised Morocco’s judiciary for its role in fighting terrorism and drug trafficking, and reiterated his sincere thanks to Morocco for its cooperation in the fight against drug traffickers.
“I sincerely thank Morocco for its great cooperation in the fight against drug traffickers,” the minister said after his discussions with his Moroccan counterpart, Abdellatif Ouahbi, that focused on very important issues for France. He added, “We know that the Moroccan justice system is very attentive to the security of the French,” insisting that without Morocco’s cooperation “France would be less safe.”
He described this cooperation as “a great sign of friendship, professionalism, and the great work we are doing together.”
When he was interviewed on Sunday evening by a Moroccan TV channel, Gérald Darmanin stated that Morocco is working with France on a mechanism aimed at seizing “illegally acquired funds” from traffickers.
While in Rabat, Gérald Darmanin held separate talks with the First President of the Court of Cassation, Deputy President of the Supreme Council of the Judiciary (CSPJ), Mohamed Abdennabaoui, and with the Attorney General at the Court of Cassation & President of the Public Ministry, El Hassan Daki.
Talks with Abdennabaoui covered ways to strengthen judicial cooperation between the two countries, organizing joint conferences and seminars on organized crime and the fight against terrorism, as well as enhancing cooperation in training and the exchange of expertise between judges.
The two officials agreed to activate the twinning agreement between the Moroccan Court of Cassation and its French counterpart, in addition to reinforcing the judicial partnership, which plays a significant role in the overall strategic partnership between the two countries.
The meeting between the French official and El Hassan Daki reviewed the progress of the Kingdom’s judicial system, highlighting Morocco’s distinguished experience in terms of judicial independence in general, and the independence of the public prosecution in particular.
These discussions were also an opportunity to present data on the judicial organization and various initiatives launched by the Presidency of the Public Ministry, particularly in terms of ethics, modernization, and digitization, as well as training and qualification of human resources to strengthen judicial effectiveness, alongside several other topics of mutual interest.
Both parties expressed satisfaction with the level of judicial cooperation between the two countries, as well as the efforts made by the Moroccan Public Ministry in the fight against cross-border organized crime, particularly through the optimal activation of international judicial cooperation mechanisms for prosecuting those fleeing justice and managing requests for judicial assistance, in line with the judicial cooperation agreements signed between the two countries.
