Morocco, Netherlands poised to enhance security cooperation

Morocco and the Netherlands are poised to enhance their cooperation in security matters as reflected in a letter of intent that was signed Tuesday in Rabat by the two sides.

The letter of intent, reflecting the two countries’ shared commitment to strengthen security cooperation, was initialed by Morocco’s Director General of National Security and Territorial Surveillance (DGSN-DGST) Abdellatif Hammouchi, and the Netherlands’ police chief Henk van Essen.

A statement from DGSN said that the agreement stems from a common desire to boost relations between Morocco and the Netherlands in matters of security and intelligence and identifies the various, common areas of interest while defining the scope of bilateral security cooperation, including between the two countries’ police departments.

The document aims to strengthen constant exchanges between these institutions in a way that will help respond effectively and firmly to the challenges posed by transnational organized crime and address the threats associated with terrorism and violent extremism, the DGSN statement said.

DGSN noted that the cooperation agreement also reflects the two parties’ keenness to exchange information and cooperation in the field of research and police training, as well as the sharing of security expertise.

Under the agreement, the two countries are set to upgrade their cooperation in the fight against terrorism, extremism, drug and human trafficking, illegal firearms activities, as well as money laundering and other financial and economic crimes.

Another area mentioned in the security cooperation between the two countries is the fight against cybercrimes.

DGSN and its Dutch counterpart emphasized the importance of increasing bilateral and multilateral international cooperation in the security field, particularly amid the growing transnational dimension of various forms of organized crime, and the increasing terrorist threats worldwide, the statement said.

To ensure efficient coordination of this security cooperation, the DGSN and the Netherland’s Police designated within their respective departments contact cells entrusted with facilitating communication, and exchanging requests between all parties in an efficient, time-sensitive manner.

Many countries and international pundits have over the past years acknowledged the success of Morocco’s comprehensive approach to counter terrorism and extremism.

In this connection, the latest Global Terrorism Index cited Morocco’s active role in fighting global terrorism and placed the North African kingdom among the world’s safest countries.