On 14-15 June 2022, the Council of Europe organised a regional workshop on “Effective inter-institutional cooperation and coordination in preventing and fighting economic crimes”, in Rabat, Morocco.  

The aim of the regional event was to raise awareness and promote exchanges between relevant beneficiary institutions in the Southern Mediterranean region on their experiences and practices in fighting economic crime by targeting cooperation issues of common interest.

Practitioners from Jordanian, Moroccan, Tunisian and Palestinian* law enforcement institutions, public administration bodies and specialised anti-corruption and anti-money laundering authorities discussed and shared experiences on the ways and mechanisms to enhance the cooperation enabling institutions to work together with a common aim to deprive criminals, and especially criminal groups, of the necessary resources to pursue further criminal activity.

During the two days, participants discussed ways of sharing information, practical mechanisms for effective inter-agency cooperation, as well as current regional and international cooperation and evolving needs in relation to asset recovery and mutual legal assistance in preventing and fighting economic crime. The workshop also served as a forum for representatives of respective institutions to discuss their experiences, practices and challenges related to effective domestic and international cooperation and coordination in view of identifying good practices.

The workshop was opened by the Head of the Council of Europe Office in Morocco, Carmen MORTE-GOMEZ, and the President of the Moroccan National Authority for Probity, Prevention and the Fight against Corruption, Mohamed Bachir RACHDI.

The workshop was jointly organised with the Moroccan authorities with the support of the project “Promotion of Good Governance: Fight against Corruption and Money Laundering” (SNAC 4) in the framework of the South Programme IV.

* This designation shall not be construed as a designation of a State of Palestine and is without prejudice to the individual positions of Council of Europe member States on this issue.

The South Programme IV is a joint programme of the Council of Europe and the European Union, financed by the European Union and the Council of Europe and implemented by the Council of Europe.