Moroccan Strategy for the Prevention of Violent Extremism
17 mars 2023
The Kingdom of Morocco took very early and in a proactive and anticipatory way, the measure of the danger of violent extremism. It has implemented a multidimensional and integrated approach, the most important axis of which is prevention in strict compliance with the rule of law and the principles of human rights.
This approach is based on the following 5 pillars:
religious pillar
The policy of the Kingdom in the management of religious affairs is based on the fact that the Head of State, as Commander of the Faithful, has a legitimacy based on the exercise of power for 12 centuries. This function has as a corollary a function of preservation of religious constants and protection of the free exercise of worship, on the basis of the principles of Sunni Islam, moderate, tolerant and open.
Security and legal pillar
On the security front, the strategy put in place by Morocco for the prevention and fight against terrorism and violent extremism with the aim of eradicating this scourge which threatens not only Morocco, but the entire Maghreb and Sahel, is based on the prevention of malicious acts, vigilance and monitoring.
This proactive approach made it possible to anticipate possible terrorist attacks, to abort several attacks against the security and stability of the country. An overhaul of the national security architecture was carried out in order to strengthen the security governance of the Kingdom and in application of the provisions of the Constitution which enshrines the principles of democracy and respect for human rights and the state of right.
To this end, Morocco set up the Central Bureau of Judicial Investigations (BCIJ) in March 2015, which is in charge of dealing with counter-terrorism cases under the supervision of the Presidency of the Public Ministry. This structure is the result of cooperation between the Departments of Interior and Justice, within the framework of a participatory approach encompassing several security services and the judiciary.
The entry into office of the BCIJ reflects the permanent concern of the Kingdom to restructure and upgrade its security institutions within the framework of an approach guaranteeing at the same time respect for human rights and the tranquility of citizens.
The Kingdom has strengthened its legal arsenal through the amendments made to the Penal Code, in particular by Law No. 86.14 of 2015 supplementing and modifying Law 03-03 of 2003 relating to the fight against terrorism.
Socio-economic pillar
The prevention and fight against violent extremism in the Kingdom of Morocco also involves the promotion of united human development, so as to put in place strong social safety nets that strengthen the resilience of vulnerable categories in the face of radicalization and prevent creating breeding grounds for terrorism and violent extremism. The INDH, education, youth employment and access to vocational training constitute the levers of the socio-economic pillar.
Pillar of strengthening human rights and the rule of law
With some forty articles devoted to human rights, the 2011 Constitution constitutes a veritable National Charter of Human Rights. The supreme norm of the Kingdom of Morocco has brought the country into a constitutionalism which has allowed the national appropriation of the principles of the protection and promotion of human rights, through the constitutionalization of numerous institutions and bodies for the protection of rights and fundamental freedoms, good governance, human and sustainable development and participatory democracy, in particular:
• The National Human Rights Council, as a National Human Rights Institution;
• The Mediator;
• The Interministerial Delegation for Human Rights;
• The National Authority for Probity and the Fight against Corruption;
• The Council of the Moroccan Community Abroad;
• The Council for Youth and Association Action;
• The Authority for parity and the fight against all forms of discrimination;
• The Higher Council for Education, Training and Scientific Research;
• The Economic, Social and Environmental Council;
• The Equity and Reconciliation body (IER), which implemented the transitional justice process.
It should be noted that the constitutionalization of these mechanisms is a major political act, aiming to strengthen the institutional system and consolidate the national human rights architecture.
Pillar of international cooperation
Morocco is fully aware that no country alone can overcome violent extremism. The Kingdom favors international cooperation through its various forms, in particular triangular cooperation, north-south cooperation and south-south cooperation.
It participates at regional and international levels in the dissemination of good practices and lessons learned developed at national, regional and international levels in the fight against violent extremism. He co-organized with the United States of America the first Policy Dialogue on the Fight against Violent Extremism in Geneva, on December 4, 2015, which brought together for the first time the Geneva diplomatic community with active international think tanks. in research on violent extremism.
It is aware of the centrality of international cooperation in the fight against violent extremism that the Kingdom of Morocco is in an advanced phase of developing an ambitious program of cooperation with its partners in the various fields related to the fight against violent extremism.
In its capacity as Co-Chair of the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF), Morocco developed with the Netherlands the Hague-Marrakesh Memorandum on Foreign Terrorist Fighters (FTF). This memorandum constitutes an important tool made available to the States and grouping together the good practices developed in the management of FTFs.
The Kingdom and the European Union have agreed to set up an initiative within the framework of the GCTF on ” education to prevent and counter violent extremism leading to terrorism which will be announced in May 2023.