Morocco Aids France with Security Expertise for 2024 Paris Olympics

At the official invitation of French security officials, Abdellatif Hammouchi, Director General of National Security (DGSN) and Territorial Surveillance (DGST), made a working visit to France from Friday, June 26 to Sunday, June 28, reports the daily Al Akhbar. On the agenda: a series of meetings with officers from the three main French security services: those of the national police, internal security and external security, focusing on "examining the mechanisms for strengthening bilateral cooperation in various security areas of common interest". On the sidelines of this visit, the DG of the DGSN-DGST pole was exceptionally decorated with the Gold Medal of Honor of the French National Police, in recognition of his efforts to consolidate and develop common security cooperation.

Last April, an agreement had been reached in Morocco during a meeting between Abdellatif Hammouchi and his French counterpart, Frédéric Veaux, for the two countries to work closely together to ensure the security of the 2024 Olympic Games (OG). This agreement is part of the strengthening of security cooperation between Rabat and Paris. In the past, Morocco has helped France thwart several terrorist attacks, the most notable of which was the one prepared by the Islamic State against Hyper Cacher in the French capital in January 2015.

Morocco has extensive experience in security matters. In 2022, it brought its expertise in cybersecurity, particularly the security management of a major sporting event, the surveillance of sports sites and venues, the management of high-intensity gatherings and the security of information systems, to Qatar in the context of the organization of the 2022 World Cup. An expertise appreciated and praised by Doha.