MOROCCO, WORLD NEWS
MOROCCO COUNTER-TERROR BATTLE GOES GLOBAL
JUNE 26, 2014 MAGHAREBIA
Aware of the need to step up international co-operation to tackle terrorism, Morocco is working to build partnerships with other countries.
The cabinet last week approved a major security agreement with Belgium. The deal aims to prevent, monitor and combat all forms of terrorism, in accordance with the laws of both countries, Budget Minister Driss Azami said.
Under the agreement signed on Thursday (June 19th), Morocco and Belgium will share intelligence and experience, logistical and scientific assistance, and professional training, Azami explained.
The accord with Belgium is not the only one of its kind. Morocco and the United States also signed a partnership deal in the fight against drugs and organised crime.
The agreement inked June 18th in Rabat by national security (DGSN) head Bouchaib Rmail and visiting US Assistant Secretary of State William Brownfield is a “milestone in efforts to build fruitful co-operation between Morocco and the United States” Deputy Interior Minister Charki Draiss said.
Partnerships of this kind help dismantle terrorist networks, the government official added.
No country can tackle terrorism and organised crime on its own, political analyst Samir Najih agreed.
Violent extremism can only be defeated through the sharing of intelligence and expertise between nations, he said.
Vigilance is essential, sociologist Karim Machifi told Magharebia. “Since no country is safe from terrorism, the phenomenon must be tackled through joint, targeted and considered action,” he said.
This is the rationale behind the various agreements that Morocco is signing with several countries, Machifi said.
But these international co-operation initiatives raise the issue of local security partnerships, he noted. Maghreb countries have faced major security threats for years but have not yet managed to implement a concrete regional strategy, he said.
Citizens, meanwhile, noted benefits from the new partnerships. Extremism is blind and must be combated by pooling international efforts, administrative employee Selma Chouikhi told Magharebia.
“A security-based approach is not enough on its own. The root causes of terrorism need to be tackled,” she said.
Development and the promotion of youth employment are the keys to eradicating extremism, Chouikhi added.
