On 21 July 2016, The Central Authority for the Prevention of Corruption (ICPC) and The Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF) signed a Memorandum of Understanding aiming at formalising their cooperation to strengthen integrity and reduce the risk of corruption within the security sector in Morocco.
The agreement was signed at the ICPC’s headquarters in Rabat by Mr. Abdesselam Aboudrar, Chairman of the ICPC, and Mr. Arnold Luethold, Head of Operations Middle East and North Africa at DCAF.
DCAF is an international organisation based in Geneva with 63 member states and internationally recognised for its expertise in good security sector governance. The cooperation between DCAF and the ICPC reinforces the role of the Kingdom of Morocco as an important actor of the international cooperation to prevent and fight corruption. More specifically, the Memorandum of Understanding between the two institutions aims at:
- strengthening the ICPC’s overall expertise in good security sector governance;
- providing support in political, institutional and technical areas, to the ICPC;
- providing the ICPC with the expertise and support needed to set up and monitor policies and institutional and legal reforms to prevent and fight corruption within the security sector;
- sharing knowledge and resources on international standards and good practice in this area.
During the signing ceremony, Mr. Aboudrar recognised the commitment shown by security sector bodies such as the National Security, Royal Police Force and Customs during various activities they had to set up with the ICPC. Their involvement in projects such as the evaluation of the Moroccan anti-corruption legal and institutional framework as well as when mapping the risks of corruption produced excellent results. Mr. Aboudrar also pointed out the opportunities for the ICPC and its partners offered by this cooperation with DCAF for capacity building and exchange of good practice in this area.
Mr. Luethold paid tribute to the ICPC for its constant and successful efforts in Moroccan institutions and citizen awareness on the topic of the fight against corruption. He also offered his congratulations on behalf of DCAF to the Kingdom of Morocco for passing the National Anti-Corruption Strategy. Mr. Luethold sees this Memorandum as an excellent opportunity to strengthen, in collaboration with the relevant stakeholders, sound integrity management within the Moroccan security sector.
A joint action plan will set the framework to implement the Memorandum of Understanding and will be announced soon.
