Abdellatif Hammouchi, director general of National Security and Territorial Surveillance, received General Luis Peláez Piñeiro, head of the Intelligence Commission of Spain’s Civil Guard, at the headquarters of Morocco’s General Directorate of National Security (DGSN) in Rabat on Thursday, July 2. The Spanish official was leading a high-level security delegation on a working visit to Morocco.
In a statement, the DGSN-DGST security hub said the visit comes amid the advanced level of cooperation between Morocco’s security services and their Spanish counterparts. It described the partnership as a model for cooperation in combating terrorism and cross-border crime.
According to the statement, the meeting culminated in a ceremony during which several senior officials from the General Directorate for Territorial Surveillance (DGST) and the DGSN were awarded Spanish honors. The decorations were conferred under a decree issued by Spain’s interior minister in recognition of their sustained efforts and their contribution to strengthening operational cooperation and technical assistance between Moroccan and Spanish security authorities.
The statement added that the Spanish decorations reflect the depth and strength of the strategic relationship between Morocco’s security services and Spain’s Civil Guard. They also demonstrate Spain’s appreciation for the professionalism shown by DGSN-DGST personnel in addressing the cross-border security challenges faced by both countries.
The awards further underscore the unique nature of the bilateral security partnership, which is built on mutual trust and close coordination between the two kingdoms. They also highlight the role of Morocco’s security services as a strategic and reliable partner in promoting regional and international security, particularly in the Mediterranean basin.
The statement quoted Luis Peláez Piñeiro as emphasizing the importance and strength of Moroccan-Spanish security cooperation. He described Morocco as an indispensable strategic partner in the fight against terrorism and organized crime, particularly in light of the increasingly complex security challenges facing the region and the wider international community.
The Spanish official added that honoring Moroccan security officials recognizes the sacrifices they have made to strengthen bilateral security cooperation in confronting shared threats. He also said the awards reflect the advanced level of partnership achieved between the DGSN-DGST security hub and Spain’s Civil Guard.
The latest recognition follows the decoration awarded to Abdellatif Hammouchi in Spain in November 2025, when he received the Order of the Grand Cross of Merit of the Civil Guard, the institution’s highest distinction. He had previously been awarded the Order of the Cross of Honor for Security Merit with Red Distinction in 2014, one of Spain’s highest security honors, in recognition of his role in building an exemplary security partnership between Morocco and Spain.
