Morocco proposes an African network of crime observatories at a UN conference in Abu Dhabi

The National Observatory for Crime, under the Ministry of Justice, presented the Moroccan experience in evidence-based criminal policy. This took place during the proceedings of the 15th United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, held in Abu Dhabi from September 26 to October 1, 2026, at the invitation of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

During this participation, Morocco called for the establishment of a network of national crime observatories across the African continent. This proposal aims to ensure coordination and data collection on crime, as well as to facilitate the exchange of methodologies and strengthen a shared understanding of emerging forms of crime.

The Moroccan delegation highlighted that any criminal reform constitutes a statistical event that requires accompanying indicator systems. They pointed to the exceptional legislative momentum the Kingdom has experienced since 2024, marked by the enactment of the law on alternative sentencing and the amendment of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

Soufna Ben Yahia, head of the National Observatory for Crime department, participated in a workshop on the role of administrative data in monitoring crime trends. She reviewed the Observatory’s ongoing projects, which include data collection and the adoption of a national classification of crimes based on criminal law and aligned with international standards.