« In Africa, we condemn the proven links between criminal groups, terrorist groups and separatist groups, » underlined the Deputy Permanent Representative of Morocco to the UN, Omar Kadiri, during an open debate at the Council held under the theme “transnational organized crime, growing challenges and new threats”.
This meeting was organized at the initiative of Ecuador, which chairs the Security Council during the month of December.
Kadiri also noted that Morocco plays a leading role at the regional and international levels in order to prevent and combat crime in all its forms and establish criminal justice based on respect and strengthening of international standards.
During this meeting chaired by the President of Ecuador, Daniel Noboa, the Moroccan diplomat recalled that the Kingdom was elected during the 91st Session of the Interpol General Assembly, held recently in Vienna, to host the 93rd Session of the Interpol GA, which will be held in Marrakech in 2025. This consecration reflects, according to Kadiri, the respect, trust and appreciation enjoyed by the Kingdom and its security institutions, under the enlightened leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI.
In the same vein, Morocco is currently hosting, in Tangier, the 47th Conference of Arab Police and Security Leaders, which constitutes an opportunity to mainly debate the use of modern technologies in the fight against terrorism, violent extremism, cybercrime and transnational organized crime, he continued.
He also highlighted the high priority that the Kingdom gives to the fight against terrorism by working to develop national, regional and international policies to combat this scourge and its financing, through an approach based on cooperation and the exchange of information, experiences and good practices.
This strategy made it possible to defeat numerous terrorist plots in several countries, thanks to Morocco’s cooperation, the diplomat argued.
He further highlighted the crucial importance that Morocco attaches to the fight against corruption, mainly through the operationalization of legal mechanisms to combat this phenomenon, the criminalization of all its manifestations and the strict application of the law against the culprits, recalling that the Kingdom has ratified the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), as well as the African Union (AU) Convention against Corruption.
Kadiri noted that Morocco has made the prevention and fight against the use and trafficking of drugs and psychotropic substances at the national and international levels a central priority, by adopting a global, multidimensional and integrated strategy, adding that this approach was warmly welcomed by the international community and the relevant United Nations bodies.
He also said that the Kingdom is making tireless efforts in the fight against human trafficking, including by putting in place a national action plan (2023-2026) and a national strategy (2023-2030), noting that national efforts are now directed towards the development of a National Referral Mechanism (MNR), in order to establish victim protection circuits.
Furthermore, the Deputy Permanent Representative of Morocco to the UN pointed out that the fight against transnational organized crime requires the consolidation of the rule of law, the strengthening of the capacities of the authorities responsible for law enforcement and upgrading the capacities of public establishments to fight corruption.
It also entails promoting, according to the diplomat, the good offices of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and its regional offices, in order to favor greater coordination and cooperation between Member States, particularly in terms of sharing information and best practices, as well as strengthening security cooperation to face the transnational challenges posed by crime.
He concluded by emphasizing the need to strengthen the collective efforts of the international community, in order to better promote the establishment of “international and regional security” which is based on mutual respect, good neighborliness, and effective and efficient cooperation.
