Despite highlighting the instability of regional balances, an Italian Institute of International Affairs analysis identifies Morocco as a structural pole of the North African security architecture, which lies at the center of Maghreb rivalries, migration routes, and foreign intervention.
A research released by the Instituto Affari Internazionali in Rome claims that Morocco holds a vital place in the security equation of the Maghreb and the Mediterranean area. The institute’s examination of the security environment in North Africa identifies a scenario characterized by the integration of interstate rivalries, transnational crime, and foreign influence strategies, as well as the consequences of that reach much beyond national boundaries.
The study emphasizes how European views often portray North Africa as an unstable periphery, thereby concealing how policies enacted north of the Mediterranean contribute to insecurity in the South.
In this view, Morocco is portrayed as a player that is susceptible to regional realignments but is also dedicated to a systematic risk management strategy that integrates security cooperation, diplomacy, and targeted forecast of the economy.
The threats are highlighted by the study’s systemic character. A continuum of destabilization is made up of interstate conflicts, Sahelian jihadist groups, non-state armed organizations, and criminal networks.
Due to the weakness of some state apparatuses and the use of local vulnerabilities by outside forces, this hybrid character makes it nearly impossible to analyze the risks solely on a national level.
Rabat’s institutions are relatively robust in this fragmented environment, standing out in contrast to the security disintegration of the central Sahel or the collapse of Libya.
This stability, though, does not protect the Kingdom from the repercussions of the progressive militarization of Maghreb ties, the change in migration patterns, and the rise in geopolitical rivalry on its southern flank.
The conflict between Morocco and Algeria, which is characterized as a long-standing, low-intensity conflict, is given special emphasis in the report.
An arms race and ever-more virulent rhetoric define this regional “cold war. ” The analysis points out that Algiers views Morocco’s security collaboration with Israel and its foreign alliances as elements of strategic imbalance, which contributes to ongoing mutual mistrust.
Another major topic of the analysis is the question of migration. The institute contends that Europe’s attempts to control migration have helped to create a black market that supports armed actors and criminal organizations.
Morocco serves as a country of origin, transit, and collaboration with the European Union.
in a system where the closing of particular routes only causes the flow of migrants to shift, rather than stop.
Source: APA-Rabat (Morocco)26 December 2025 | 15:27