Hicham Balaoui, president of the public prosecution office, presided over the inauguration of the permanent headquarters of the association of African prosecutors in Rabat on Tuesday.

He was joined by Renson Ingonga from Kenya, the association’s president, and other officials. Balaoui also serves as the association’s secretary-general.

During the ceremony, the two leaders signed an agreement to permanently transfer the association’s seat from Mozambique to Morocco.

Attendees unanimously highlighted Morocco’s prominent role on the continent under King Mohammed VI’s leadership, and the trust placed in its judicial institutions by African professional and judicial bodies.

The ceremony was also attended by Mohamed Abdennabaoui, deputy president of the supreme council of the judiciary, Abdelatif Amrani, treasurer general of the kingdom, and several other judicial officials.

According to the association, the meeting reflects Morocco’s ongoing commitment to strengthening African judicial cooperation and coordinating between judicial institutions across the continent.

In Rabat, the executive committee adopted the association’s work agenda, reviewed proposed amendments to its statutes, and discussed annual membership fees.

In his opening speech, Balaoui stressed the need to strengthen cooperation between police services and prosecution offices across Africa, and to exchange experiences and best practices in combating various forms of crime, particularly transnational organised crime, corruption, human trafficking, and cybercrime.

In conclusion, participants praised the association’s leading role in strengthening professional cooperation among its members. They emphasised its importance as an institutional framework for dialogue, coordination, and joint action to address criminal justice challenges in Africa.

With the establishment of the permanent headquarters in Rabat, Morocco reinforces its role in continental judicial cooperation. The inauguration also gives new institutional significance to exchanges among African prosecution services, amid rising transnational crime.