Daki: “The synergy of African judicial systems is essential to combat environmental crime”
Hibapress
The synergy of efforts of the judicial systems of African countries is essential and constitutes an important mechanism to combat any illegal behavior in the field of the environment, affirmed, Thursday in Marrakech, the Attorney General of the King at the Court of Cassation, President of the Public Prosecution, El Hassan Daki.
In a speech at the opening of the International Conference held under the theme “The Role of Justice in the Fight against Environmental Crime”, within the framework of the 17th Congress of the Association of African Prosecutors (APA), Mr. Daki stressed that international judicial cooperation is essential to strengthen efforts aimed at curbing the various forms of environmental aggression.
“Our concern for the future of our African continent is at the heart of our common interest, with multiple dimensions and varied manifestations, especially since the environment remains a central subject given its crucial importance and its perpetually renewed topicality by the environmental challenges that the whole world, and Africa in particular, are facing,” he explained.
Mr. Daki, in this regard, noted that climate change and global warming, as well as the various forms of pollution and threats to natural resources and biodiversity “have been and will be a strong incentive for us to move forward to develop a common vision that answers our legitimate questions regarding the means to address these challenges.”
He then indicated that holding this international conference reflects the Kingdom’s strong commitment to environmental issues and illustrates the strategic dimension of this subject within public policies.
This meeting represents an opportunity to enrich the debate and define the broad outlines of future visions, based on an exchange of experiences and establishing a solid environmental judicial dialogue, which will serve as a common basis for exploring opportunities for cooperation and developing best practices, he continued.
Referring to Morocco’s particular interest in environmental issues and its leadership in the field of ecological innovation and clean and renewable energies, as well as its proactive approach to environmental challenges, Mr. Daki stressed that these efforts are based on a clear and effective national strategy, capable of responding to the developments and challenges posed by the environmental reality.
Mr. Daki also focused on the efforts of the Public Prosecutor’s Office in terms of environmental protection, noting that the Moroccan justice system has ensured that legislative developments in this area are supported, through the decisions rendered by the various jurisdictions of the Kingdom, headed by the Court of Cassation, which has established a set of legal principles relating to investigations and inquiries in cases of environmental crimes.
Aware of its constitutional role in the implementation of criminal policy, and in line with the effectiveness of the efforts deployed by State institutions at all levels, the Presidency of the Public Prosecutor’s Office has committed, according to an integrated approach, to contribute to these efforts by adopting a multifaceted approach, in particular by creating an administrative structure dedicated, among other things, to monitoring environmental crime cases, said Mr. Daki.
In order to ensure balanced protection of the environment, Mr. Daki noted that the Presidency of the Public Prosecutor’s Office has adopted an institutional and participatory approach, consisting of coordinating environmental protection efforts with many national institutions with a view to intensifying control, coordination and assistance between all sectors concerned, in order to combat illegal activities and all forms of illegal trade in animal and plant species, threatened with extinction.
He added that the Presidency of the Public Prosecutor’s Office has strengthened its cooperation with several international organizations, including the International Fund for Animal Welfare, as well as with several foreign countries.
In recognition of these efforts in this area, the Presidency of the Public Prosecutor’s Office was awarded the GAIA Excellence Award for the year 2022 by the European Network of Environmental Prosecutors, during their annual meeting, held in The Hague on September 30 of the same year, recalled Mr. Daki, also noting the admission of the Kingdom as an observer within this Network, which brings together the various European prosecutors’ offices specializing in the environment.
It should be noted that this 17th APA congress brings together 88 participants, including prosecutors and public prosecutors from 34 African countries, as well as representatives and experts from several organizations and bodies, including the International Organization for Migration, the European Network of Environment Agencies, the Council of Europe, the International Association of Prosecutors, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the Administrative Tribunal of the African Union.
