Morocco's Strategy to Fight Terrorism, Extremism Presented in Kenya

MOROCCO, February 1 - Morocco's strategy in the field of the fight against terrorism and violent extremism was presented Tuesday in Mombasa, Kenya, within the framework of the 16th annual conference and meeting of Africa Prosecutors Association (January 29 - February 02).

Speaking at the conference, which Morocco is represented by a delegation led by Jamila Sedqi, Advisor to the Presidency of the Public Prosecutor's Office, Advocate General at the Court of Cassation and Magistrate at the Administrative Tribunal of the African Union, the Attorney General of the King at Casablanca Court of Appeal, Salah Tizari, said that as part of its comprehensive and integrated national strategy to combat terrorism and violent extremism, Morocco has strengthened the mechanisms of prevention and repression, as well as the culture of human rights in the context of the fight against terrorism.

Aware of the impact of social imbalance on the culture of extremist thinking, the Kingdom has undertaken a set of social, cultural and development measures, noted Tizari, citing in particular the launch of the National Initiative for Human Development to eradicate poverty, marginalization and social exclusion.

The reform of the religious field is an important approach in the fight against violent extremism, through the consolidation of the constants of the Moroccan religious identity and the adoption of the policy of religious proximity, he said, referring in this sense the increase in the number of local councils of Ulema, the creation of a council of Ulema for Moroccans living abroad, the training of murshidates.

Tizari also focused on the establishment of an alternative value system to that conveyed by the carriers of violent extremist thought, highlighting in this sense the efforts of information, communication and awareness of citizens on the dangers of violent extremism.

He also stressed the important role of proactive security governance, which has produced positive results, and which consists of the dismantling of a set of terrorist cells before they act, noting that Morocco has established a criminal policy complementary to the security policy, through the strengthening of the legal framework to punish the various forms of terrorism and its financing, as well as the establishment of an efficient security and judicial cooperation to address this phenomenon.

 MAP:31 January 2023