The role of Morocco's intelligence services in its diplomatic achievements, particularly on the Sahara issue, is undeniable—a fact acknowledged by both global powers and African states. For a long time focused primarily on counter-terrorism within their own borders, Moroccan intelligence services have gradually emerged as key players well beyond the kingdom. From official commendations in Washington to mediation missions in the Sahel, Rabat is increasingly asserting itself as both a security and diplomatic linchpin. In February 2021, the Directorate General of Territorial Surveillance (DGST) received formal congratulations from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI, New York office) and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) for its cooperation in counter-terrorism efforts. Just weeks earlier, intelligence provided by Abdellatif Hammouchi's services had helped thwart a planned terrorist attack by an American soldier targeting a military base in the name of ISIS. These acknowledgments paved the way for visits to Morocco by senior U.S. officials. Former FBI Director Christopher Wray and CIA Director William Burns both traveled to meet Hammouchi, in February and April 2023, respectively. Earlier, on December 5, 2019, former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had also visited Rabat and met Hammouchi at the DGST headquarters. Morocco strengthens its role in the Sahel In Africa, the Directorate General of Studies and Documentation (DGED) has become a sought-after partner for several states seeking to counter terrorist threats and ease political tensions amid declining influence of former colonial powers. As part of counter-extremism efforts in the Sahel, the DGED recently supported the Nigerian army in neutralizing the leader of Boko Haram. On the diplomatic front, Moroccan intelligence has also played a significant role. A Moroccan mediation in 2024 secured the release of four French spies in Burkina Faso. European hostages abducted by terrorist groups have also been freed thanks to Moroccan efforts, including German citizen Jörg Lange in December 2022. In Mali, cooperation between the Malian National Security Agency and the DGED led to the release in August 2025 of four Moroccan truck drivers kidnapped earlier that year by a terrorist group. Meanwhile, Rabat has been discreetly pressuring Niger's ruling military junta, since its July 2023 coup, to release the former democratically elected president, Mohamed Bazoum. This presence in the Sahel is set to grow. Morocco is positioning itself as a preferred interlocutor for Sahel states, particularly Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, which together form the Sahel States Alliance (AES). On April 28, 2025, King Mohammed VI received the foreign ministers of the AES in Rabat. Chad, which enjoys excellent ties with Morocco, may soon join the alliance. N'Djamena already signaled its alignment on August 6, 2025, when President Mahamat Idriss Déby visited Niger. Chad had previously endorsed Morocco's royal initiative in December 2023, aimed at granting Sahel states access to the Atlantic Ocean. A regional reconfiguration raising concerns Morocco's growing influence in the Sahel has not gone unnoticed by France, once the dominant player in the region. «The lenses of yesterday to view Africa are outdated», President Emmanuel Macron declared in October 2024 in a speech before the Moroccan Parliament. This «renewal», Macron added, necessarily involves Morocco. «Through its geography, history, culture, and the vision of its sovereigns, Morocco has long asserted its vocation as a platform, mediator, and unique path. That is why, I deeply believe, we must work together, and I know I can draw inspiration from your country and its actions in the Sahara and the Sahel». Morocco's influence in Africa could further consolidate with the U.S. military's project to establish an Africa command in Morocco. While Moroccan intelligence services are praised in Washington and across the Sahel, they are viewed more critically elsewhere. In Spain, successive right- and left-wing governments have recognized Rabat's contribution to dismantling terrorist cells. Yet segments of the media, retired military officials, and certain political forces continue to portray Morocco as a «threat» to Spanish security, struggling to come to terms with the shifting regional balance of power.
