On Wednesday, May 20, 2026, the city of Marrakech hosted the seventh session of the mixed advisory committee between the Moroccan Ministry of Justice and the Spanish Ministry of the Presidency, Justice, and Relations with Parliament. This significant gathering was led by Rashid Wadhifi, the Director of Civil Affairs and Legal Professions, representing Morocco, alongside members from the Departments of Civil Affairs, Legal Professions, Criminal Affairs, and representatives from the Public Prosecution's Office.
On the Spanish side, the delegation was headed by Eva Maria Pérez Martínez, the General Director of International Cooperation at the Spanish Ministry of Justice. Her team included representatives from both the civil and criminal cooperation sectors, as well as the Moroccan contact judge in Spain, the Spanish contact judge in Morocco, and a representative from the Spanish embassy in Morocco. The primary focus of this session was to discuss various aspects of judicial cooperation in both civil and criminal matters.
At the beginning of the meeting, both parties expressed appreciation for the strong historical ties between the Kingdom of Morocco and the Kingdom of Spain. They highlighted the strategic significance of judicial cooperation in enhancing legal and judicial security, which serves the mutual goals of both nations. The quality of ongoing institutional dialogue, supported by bilateral and multilateral agreements governing judicial cooperation in civil and criminal matters, was also acknowledged.
This meeting provided an opportunity for both parties to share legal updates, particularly regarding justice reforms and the modernization and digitization of judicial processes and services. Additionally, they discussed best practices that could be adopted in future joint cooperation programs, aimed at enhancing the efficiency of bilateral cooperation in civil and criminal issues.
The meeting also evaluated the current state of bilateral judicial cooperation, discussing the evolution of cooperation requests, coordination mechanisms between central authorities, practical challenges related to managing cross-border cases, and the impact of legislative reforms on improving international cooperation, particularly in terms of requests for legal assistance, notifications, enforcement of judgments, and extradition of criminals.
Both parties commended the positive developments in judicial cooperation, characterized by intensified coordination among competent authorities and improved mechanisms that contribute to the expedited processing of cases. In conclusion, the importance of the bilateral work achieved in civil and criminal matters was emphasized, with a strong call for the reinforcement of technical cooperation programs, such as exchange visits and the sharing of best practices, to meet the aspirations of both sides.
As reported by pam.ma.
