Morocco will launch a national strategy to fight money laundering. Speaking at a national conference on the means to combat money laundering and the financing of terrorism, the head of Morocco’s government Saad Dine El Othmani announced plans to launch a new national strategy to fight terrorism financing and money laundering. At the conference, the Moroccan Authorities for Capital Markets and the Financial Intelligence Unit signed an agreement undertaking to cooperate in the fight against laundering and the terrorism financing.

Spanish newspaper accuses Moroccan official of embezzling money. The news item reveals the details of a case pending before the Spanish judiciary, where Moroccan officials are accused of transferring funds donated by Morocco to help fight extremism in Europe to their bank accounts.

Anti-corruption strategy: delay in the implementation of some projects. Launched in May 2016, the national anti-corruption strategy 2016-2025 consists of three phases. The first was to be completed by the end of 2018, but the latest implementation report shows that 30 out of 89 projects are behind schedule.

Morocco strengthens its strategy on the fight against corruption. The Instance nationale and the National Commission are seeking greater coordination to better target the priority programmes of the strategy to combat corruption. The summary report of the National Anti-Corruption Commission expects "a radical change" until 2021 as 91 projects have been announced for the upcoming two years with the aim of rising 17 places in Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index.

Corruption: a law to protect whistleblower public servants. The government announces a law for the protection of public servants who report corruption and another one to revise the legal framework for asset declaration. The Code of Criminal Procedure already provides for "protective mechanisms applying to citizens in general, but this law contains a provision that specifically applies to civil servants", the minister argued. Because of their position, this category of whistleblowers is in "direct contact" with illegal situations, especially in "public procurement", he explained.

The National Anti-Corruption Commission (CNAC) is expected to be at the centre of the work of the Government Council as it will be discussing the implementation of the prerogatives of this body for monitoring the national anti-corruption strategy. Active since November 2017, the Commission will have to take stock of its work approximately one month after Morocco's rating has improved at the international level.

Morocco’s 2018 Corruption Perceptions Index improved by 3 points. Morocco’s corruption score may have improved, but the reality suggests that the country still has much to do to implement the many democracy-enhancing laws it has passed in recent months.

Morocco’s King appoints new head of Anti-Corruption Authority. On 13 December, Morocco’s King Mohammed VI appointed Mohamed Bachir Rachdi as the president of the National Anti-Corruption Authority (ICPC). The King instructed Rachidi to strive for the optimal implementation of the mission entrusted by the constitution to this national body, including coordinating, supervising, carrying out and overseeing anti-corruption policies and upholding the principles of good governance.

MoU signed between Moroccan and Palestinian Prosecutors’ Offices. Signed on 26 December in Rabat, the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aims to develop the capacity of the two countries' public prosecutors departments to fight crime, corruption, money laundering and the financing of terrorism.

Morocco’s DGSN tightens its grip on criminal networks in 2018. The Moroccan General Directorate of National Security (DGSN) issued its annual review of crime statistics and police achievements on 25 December. Accordingly, in the field of international cooperation, the DGSN executed 80 international information requests, including 44 letters of request relating to cases of drug smuggling and money laundering.