The protection of Morocco’s forest heritage is becoming more effective thanks to strengthened cooperation between the General Directorate of National Security (DGSN) and the National Agency for Water and Forests (ANEF). The two institutions aim to combine their efforts to better respond to the scale of environmental threats, as part of the national strategy “Forests of Morocco 2020-2030.”
It was at the Royal Police Institute in Kenitra that the main lines of this collaboration were reaffirmed during a study day dedicated to combating threats to wildlife and forest heritage. In a speech read on his behalf by Mohamed Dkhissi, central director of judicial police, Abdellatif Hammouchi emphasized the strategic importance that the DGSN places on this fight.
Technology, training, and synergy of actors
To address new forms of environmental crime, the DGSN is relying on technological innovation and the strengthening of skills. Cutting-edge scientific means are being mobilized in investigations, and specialized training programs are supporting the capabilities of agents engaged on the ground.
This integrated approach aims to preserve forest and water resources, in line with the royal vision that led to the launch of the “Forests of Morocco” strategy. The goal is to achieve sustainable and balanced management, reconciling the preservation of natural capital with the economic valorization of resources.
An evolving threat
The observation is clear: the threats facing Moroccan forests are intensifying. Toufiq Azroual, director of human capital and logistics at ANEF, specifically pointed out the worrying transformation of certain subsistence offenses into structured crimes carried out by organized networks. Pressures from climate change, urbanization, and overexploitation exacerbate this vulnerability.
In response, ANEF is reviewing its methods and adapting the training of its forest police. The system provides for continuous skill enhancement, strengthened resources, and modernized tools for a more reactive and targeted intervention.
Towards a coordinated and sustainable response
The two institutions are calling for a unification of efforts and a strengthened sharing of experiences. The aim is to build legal and technical frameworks that meet the challenges and to jointly develop preventive and repressive action plans. Close cooperation between the DGSN, ANEF, the judiciary, and the public prosecutor’s office is deemed essential to structure a sustainable response.
This study day allowed for the establishment of the foundations of closer institutional coordination, with the shared ambition of preserving the national forest heritage and, more broadly, defending Morocco’s ecological balances.
With Le Matin