With the Sahel now accounting for more than half of the world’s terrorist victims, African countries are strengthening their coordination in the face of a constantly evolving threat. Meeting in El Jadida, security officials and international partners discussed appropriate responses. Morocco, through the Vision of King Mohammed VI, advocates for a comprehensive approach combining security, development, and cooperation.
Terrorism continues to gain ground in Africa, particularly in the Sahel region, which has become the global epicenter of this threat. According to the Global Terrorism Index, more than 51% of terrorism-related deaths worldwide were recorded in this region in 2024, representing nearly 3,900 victims. It is in this context that the 5th High-Level Meeting of Heads of African Counter-Terrorism and Security Agencies opened on June 9, 2026, in El Jadida. The meeting is organized within the framework of the Marrakech Platform and is co-chaired by Morocco and the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT).
I would like to note that this initiative provides an essential framework for other security and intelligence officials across the continent to exchange information on evolving threats and their operational implications.
ALEXANDER ZUEV, UNOCT Under-Secretary-General
Faced with the expansion of terrorist groups, armed conflicts, and threats linked to new technologies, Moroccan Minister Nasser Bourita presented King Mohammed VI’s Vision. This approach prioritizes not only the security response, but also economic, social, and religious levers to combat the root causes of extremism. The head of Moroccan diplomacy also emphasized the need for strengthened African cooperation.
The Kingdom of Morocco, currently in New York, is a co-facilitator of the 9th review of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, which is expected to be adopted at the end of June or perhaps the beginning of July. Moroccan graduates play a very important role in our work.
ALEXANDER ZUEV, UNOCT Under-Secretary-General
Launched in 2022 with the support of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism, the Marrakech Platform has gradually established itself as a framework for coordinating African security services. In El Jadida, Nasser Bourita called for greater African involvement in defining international counter-terrorism strategies, as groups affiliated with Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State continue their advance in several regions of the continent.
