Morocco's Director General of National Security and Territorial Surveillance, Abdellatif Hammouchi, held talks Thursday in Rabat with France’s Director-General of Internal Security, Céline Berthon, who was accompanied by a high-level security delegation.
The discussions focused on ways to further develop bilateral cooperation mechanisms in the security field, as well as strengthening the Morocco-France partnership to address current security challenges at both the international and regional levels, particularly terrorist threats in conflict zones in general, and more specifically in the Sahel-Saharan region, according to a statement from the Directorate General of Territorial Surveillance.
The two officials also stressed the need to step up joint security operations between Moroccan internal security services and their French counterparts, the statement added, noting that these operations have repeatedly proven their effectiveness in neutralizing numerous terrorist threats at the regional and international levels.
On this occasion, the French Director General of Internal Security praised the contribution of Moroccan security services to the safety of the 2024 Summer Olympic Games held in Paris.
She also reviewed means of coordination and joint efforts to contribute to the success of the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN), which Morocco will host in 2025, as well as the 2030 FIFA World Cup, to be co-hosted by Morocco, Spain, and Portugal, particularly regarding the exchange of expertise and operational data in combating major threats to public security.
The talks also covered the consolidation of bilateral cooperation mechanisms between Morocco’s and France’s internal security services to counter various hostile activities threatening the security of both countries, including combating foreign espionage and related activities.
This meeting reflects the crucial importance of Moroccan-French cooperation in the security field, as an effective and consistent model of comprehensive cooperation between the two countries, particularly in the fight against terrorism, extremism, and irregular migration, the same source emphasized, highlighting the shared conviction of both countries of the need to develop a joint proactive vision to address cross-border criminal and terrorist threats.
MAP: 12 September 2025
