On Monday, December 7, the Africa Center hosted a briefing and roundtable discussion on Moroccan-European counterterrorism cooperation with Dr. El Mostafa Rezrazi and Dr. Shoji Matsumoto, two members of an international group of researchers that recently authored the report Le Livre Gris du Terrorisme: Au Cœur de la Coopération Sécuritaire Maroc-Europe.

Africa Center Director Dr. J. Peter Pham welcomed participants and introduced the discussion.

In their remarks, Rezrazi and Matsumoto outlined the findings of the 250-page report, focusing specifically on the demographics of those Moroccan citizens engaged in international terrorist activities, the success and value of Morocco’s unique approach to counterterrorism, and the future of international counterterrorism cooperation. In particular, the experts challenged the commonly assumed connection between poverty and terrorism and called for reframing of regional counterterrorism collaboration as an international obligation among states.

The original French version of the report was published last week; an updated English translation will be available shortly with new material relating to the November 13 attacks in Paris.

Atlantic Council Board Director the Honorable Mary Carlin Yates, former Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for African Affairs at the National Security Council, also participated in the discussion, as did a number of Council Senior Fellows from the Africa Center, the Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East, and the Brent Scrowcroft Center on International Security.