OECD Report: Morocco Stands as Oasis of Stability Amid Rising Violence in North and West Africa

While most countries are plagued by instability and turmoil of all kinds, Morocco is maintaining a very high level of stability and peace. According to the SWAC/OECD, the last five years have been the most violent in North and West Africa. "More than 40% of acts of violence and deaths occur within a radius of 100 kilometers of a land border and 10% of those killed are within 10 kilometers of a border. Civilian populations are increasingly direct targets of violence and less and less collateral victims," the report states.

The authors of the document lament that attempts to stabilize the region have become more difficult due to interests and alliances of all kinds. Thus, the map indicating the intensity of "violent events linked to Al-Qaeda affiliated organizations" between 2004 and 2011 shows the absence of the terrorist nebula in the Kingdom.

The document points out that these organizations are developing due to the failure of the state or politics. "States are too weak to control their territory or too strong to tolerate terrorist organizations within their borders," explains lematin.ma.

On the map illustrating the spread of violence in North Africa, there are no "stains" concerning Moroccan and Mauritanian territories. But as for Algeria, Tunisia and Libya, it is filled with points explaining the existence of violence. The report, however, highlighted three hot spots around which the intensity and concentration of violence is noted: Mali and the central Sahel, Lake Chad (Nigeria) and Libya.

The report also highlights the regions with the highest conflict rate, the evolution of these conflicts, and how military interventions affect their perimeters. But it was noted that these areas often remain elusive due to the large number of states involved, rebels, extremist organizations and militias, their changing alliances and transnational movements.

The report calls on the states of the region, as well as the international community, to promote and encourage regional initiatives aimed at restoring the legitimacy of the state. In other words, investing more in border regions and increasing the protection of civilians are essential.