Morocco showcases counterterrorism model at UN security summit

VIENNA – Morocco’s Director General of National Security and Territorial Surveillance, Abdellatif Hammouchi, held a series of high-level security and intelligence meetings in Vienna this week as Morocco sought to reinforce its role as a key international partner in counterterrorism and regional security cooperation.

Hammouchi led a senior Moroccan delegation to the Austrian capital between May 5 and 7 to participate in the 23rd Regional Meeting of Intelligence and Security Chiefs, organised by the United Nations at the Vienna International Centre.

The gathering brought together intelligence and security officials from several Arab and regional states, including the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Iraq, Libya, Oman, Tunisia, Sudan, Turkey and Pakistan, with discussions focused on coordinating regional efforts to confront terrorist threats and extremist networks.

According to a statement issued by Morocco’s General Directorate of National Security and General Directorate for Territorial Surveillance, Hammouchi presented Morocco’s “integrated and multi-dimensional” counterterrorism model, outlining the kingdom’s approach to combating extremism through intelligence coordination, preventive security measures and international cooperation.

He also briefed participants on what he described as the evolving map of terrorist threats across conflict zones worldwide, highlighting the growing complexity of transnational extremist networks and the need for collective action.

The visit also included bilateral talks with Austria’s Director General for State Protection and Intelligence, Sylvia Mayer, during which the two sides discussed expanding cooperation in areas including counterterrorism, migration, organised crime, human trafficking, money laundering, arms trafficking and intelligence-sharing on internationally wanted suspects.

Austrian officials praised Moroccan intelligence cooperation, saying information provided by Rabat had contributed to thwarting dangerous terrorist plots and arresting extremists on Austrian territory. Mayer also expressed interest in benefiting from Morocco’s experience in tackling terrorism and organised crime, describing Morocco as a stable and secure country.

The meetings come as Morocco continues to deepen its security partnerships with European and regional allies amid concerns over the spread of extremist groups in the Sahel and wider North Africa.

Moroccan authorities say the country’s security services have dismantled more than 200 terrorist cells since 2002, while the Central Bureau of Judicial Investigations has led a series of operations targeting cells linked to the Islamic State and other extremist organisations.

In February 2025, Moroccan authorities announced the dismantling of a cell calling itself the “Lions of the Caliphate in the Maghreb,” arresting 12 suspects and seizing explosive devices in coordinated raids across several cities. Officials warned at the time that extremist groups operating in the Sahel were seeking to expand their reach into Morocco.

The Vienna visit also follows a series of recent international engagements by Hammouchi aimed at broadening Morocco’s security alliances. In recent months, Morocco signed cooperation agreements with security agencies in France, Sweden and Poland focusing on intelligence-sharing, border security and operational coordination.

Alongside the Austrian meetings, the Moroccan delegation also held separate discussions with intelligence and security officials from Pakistan, Turkey, Iraq and Oman to explore ways of strengthening bilateral cooperation.

Moroccan officials said the Vienna meetings once again underscored the country’s growing credibility among European and regional partners as a major contributor to international security and stability efforts.