Morocco’s National Security Directorate (DGSN) and the National Foundation of Museums (FNM) signed a partnership and cooperation agreement in Rabat on Wednesday, October 14, to strengthen museum security and protect the country’s cultural heritage from theft, counterfeiting and illicit trafficking.
The agreement was signed at DGSN headquarters under the chairmanship of Abdellatif Hammouchi, director general of National Security and Territorial Surveillance, and Mehdi Qotbi, president of the National Foundation of Museums.
According to a joint statement, the agreement establishes institutional cooperation between the national security services and the FNM to strengthen the detection, prevention and prosecution of crimes targeting Morocco’s cultural and museum heritage. Particular emphasis is placed on combating the counterfeiting of archaeological and artistic works and their illicit trafficking.
The agreement also establishes an organizational and institutional framework to ensure the security of national museums and other cultural institutions. It provides for the security measures and support required to transport archaeological pieces and heritage objects, protecting them from potential risks and threats and ensuring their integrity.
The partnership also covers specialized training and capacity-building through the exchange of expertise and experience. This cooperation will focus on handling works of art and archaeological objects of historical value, as well as identifying criminal methods used to counterfeit them, smuggle them out of the country and trade in them illegally.
As part of this cooperation, the National Foundation of Museums will provide technical assistance and support to enrich the National Security Museum. The initiative is intended to preserve and showcase Morocco’s security and institutional history while contributing to the development of the country’s national museum experience.
At the signing ceremony, Hammouchi and Qotbi stressed the importance of the institutional partnership, placing the preservation of Morocco’s tangible and historical heritage among the country’s top security priorities.
Both officials said they viewed the protection of national heritage as a shared responsibility, combining security and preventive measures with cultural and museum missions in the service of the nation and the preservation of its identity, rooted in history.
