The Kingdom of Morocco (Al Maghrib in the local form) is a North African state that borders Algeria and the Western Sahara. It has extensive coastline along the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. Morocco is separated from Spain and Europe by just 7.7 nautical miles at the Strait of Gibraltar. As a former French colony the country gained independence in 1956.  The population of Morocco is 33 million people, 99.9% of whom are Sunni Muslim. Its economy is based around agriculture, tourism, aerospace, phosphates, textiles, apparel, and subcomponents. Morocco is a constitutional monarchy with an Assembly of Representatives of Morocco and the Assembly of Councilors, who are based in its capital, Rabat.

A member of the OSCE Mediterranean Partners, Morocco’s connection with the OSCE dates back to the Helsinki Final Act of 1975.  The Act recognized the close relationship between European and Mediterranean security and in 1994 a contact group was formed to formally involve the southern Mediterranean countries with the OSCE.  Since that time, Morocco has been an active participant in the implementation of many OSCE –Mediterranean projects, and is particularly interested in the OSCE’s role in approaching cross-border issues in the region, such as environmental degradation, terrorism, migration and drugs and arms trafficking.  In order to learn from the OSCE’s experience, Morocco has sent a citizen to the OSCE Border Management Staff College.