Morocco and Ethiopia have taken a significant step to strengthen their security cooperation with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) focused on combating violent and organized crime.
The Director General of National Security and Territorial Surveillance, Abdellatif Hammouchi, and the Commissioner General of the Ethiopian Federal Police, Demelash Gebremichael, signed the agreement on Monday in Marrakech.
The signing took place on the sidelines of the 93rd session of the General Assembly of the International Criminal Police Organization (ICPO-INTERPOL), held in Marrakech from 24 to 27 November 2025, according to a statement from the Directorate General of National Security (DGSN).
The agreement establishes a comprehensive framework for operational, intelligence, and technical cooperation between the two countries. It aims to enhance the exchange of expertise, experience, information, and technical assistance, strengthening joint efforts to counter emerging and persistent security threats.
Under the MoU, Morocco’s national security services will provide training support, technical assistance, and intelligence-sharing to help bolster Ethiopia’s human resource development and institutional capacity in preventing and combating crime.
The cooperation covers efforts to combat human trafficking, illegal immigration, organ trafficking, narcotics and psychotropic substance smuggling, chemical precursors, illicit arms and explosives trafficking, cybercrime, financial and economic crimes, and money laundering, as well as any other areas of mutual interest.
Morocco and Ethiopia have steadily expanded their bilateral cooperation in recent years, driven by shared interests in regional stability, counterterrorism, and the fight against transnational crime.
Morocco—recognized in Africa for its advanced security governance and intelligence capabilities—has increasingly partnered with African states to support capacity-building and joint action against cross-border threats.
Ethiopia, situated in a strategically sensitive region and working to modernize its security institutions, has sought deeper collaboration with experienced partners to confront challenges such as trafficking networks, cybercrime, and financial crimes.
Both countries also maintain active roles within INTERPOL and Africa’s broader security architecture, making this MoU an important step toward more coordinated policing and intelligence efforts on the continent.
Following the signing, Hammouchi and Commissioner General Demelash held talks to review progress in bilateral security cooperation and explore new opportunities to strengthen the partnership, reaffirming their commitment to shared security and stability.
Source: Pulse of Africa
