Security, migration at the focus of talks between Moroccan and French Interior Ministers in Marrakech

Moroccan and French Ministers of the Interior, Abdelouafi Laftit and Laurent Nuñez, held, on Tuesday in Marrakech, a meeting that provided the opportunity for the two parties to review different issues of mutual interest, with focus on security and migration matters.

The French official is visiting Morocco to attend the 93rd INTERPOL General Assembly, currently taking place in Marrakech.

The two officials welcomed the solid foundation of bilateral cooperation on security and migration matters, rooted in mutual trust, strengthened by ongoing dialogue, and supported by shared views on strategic issues, the Ministry of the Interior said in a statement.

They recalled that this cooperation is fully in line with the Declaration of Reinforced Exceptional Partnership signed by King Mohammed VI and French President Emmanuel Macron, during the state visit he paid to Morocco in October 2024.

The two officials emphasized when tackling the issue of migration, the positive role played by the Morocco-France Permanent Joint Migration Group (GMMP), which is the appropriate mechanism for dialogue and coordination on migration issues.

They also examined ways of further strengthening channels for the exchange of expertise and information to maintain a dynamic capable of constructively addressing multiple threats, particularly those linked to the activities of terrorist groups and criminal networks, especially in the Sahel-Saharan region, the statement said.

In a statement to the media following the meeting, Laurent Nuñez welcomed the strengthened security partnership between Morocco and France and underlined that both countries maintain “excellent” collaboration, particularly in counterterrorism and the fight against organized crime.

He described the cooperation as “very high” and said France is committed to keeping it strong and building it even further. He highlighted the broader scope of joint work between the two nations, pointing out that cooperation also extends to civil protection and other security-related areas.

He added that his visit reaffirms France’s intention to continue along the same path and deepen ongoing efforts.

The French official took to his X account, stating “Our high level of bilateral cooperation on major security issues has been decisive on several occasions and is essential today for the continuation of our excellent relations and constructive exchanges on priority topics: the fight against terrorism, against organized crime and specifically drug trafficking, cybercrime, civil security and the migration issue.”