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MENA Regional Hub: Unleashing the Potential of Moroccan Cities in Supporting a Whole-of-Society Approach to Rehabilitation and Reintegration 

Publication Date:

12/06/2025

Content Type:

Event Reports

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City-Led ActionMENA Regional HubRehabilitation and ReintegrationTangierwhole-of-society approach

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This report provides a summary of discussions during the event and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Strong Cities Network Management Unit, Strong Cities members, event sponsors or participants.

Event Details

Description: A national workshop on Unleashing the Potential of Moroccan Cities in Supporting a Whole-of-Society Approach to Rehabilitation and Reintegration, bringing together local and national authorities, civil society organisations and cities and organisations from Canada, Germany, Iraq and the Netherlands. The workshop served as a platform to examine Morocco’s evolving rehabilitation and reintegration (R&R) architecture and explore how local authorities can play a more active role in supporting returnees from conflict zones. Participants shared innovative practices, highlighted the importance of multi-level coordination, and identified key entry points for cities to contribute to a whole-of-society approach, grounded in human rights, social inclusion, and community resilience. 

Where & When: 12 — 13 June 2025, Tangier (Kingdom of Morocco)

Cities Represented

• Germany: Berlin 
• Iraq: Nineveh Governorate 
• Morocco: Chefchaouen, Fes, Larache, Rabat, Tangier, Tetouan 
• Netherlands: Amsterdam

Partners Represented

Partners

• City of Tangier
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Morocco
• Moroccan Association of Communal Councils
• Mohammed VI Foundation for the Reintegration of Prisoners
• The General Delegation for Prison Administration and Reintegration
• Moussalaha Centre
• National Observatory for Criminality
• National Council on Human Rights

International and Non-Governmental Organisations

• 4 Shabab (Morocco)
• Yorktown Family Services (Canada)

Diplomatic Missions

Embassy of the Netherlands in Morocco 

Key Takeaways

Participants outlined a set of priority actions to enhance city-level engagement in rehabilitation and reintegration efforts. These recommendations aim to bridge policy and practice by clarifying the role of municipalities, strengthening coordination and equipping local actors with the tools and resources they need to lead in this space. 

For Local Governments

• Integrate R&R into local strategies and plans: Embed R&R into municipal development strategies and social inclusion plans, tailored to local contexts and informed by risk assessments and community consultations. Municipalities should develop local indicators and collect disaggregated data to monitor progress and adapt approaches over time. 
• Establish cross-institutional coordination mechanisms: Create multi-agency task forces or referral systems that bring together relevant municipal stakeholders to manage individual cases and ensure holistic, person-centred reintegration. These should include safeguards for rights protection and family inclusion. 
• Mobilise civil society as a key implementation partner: Partner with trusted local civil society organisations to design and implement programming that includes service delivery, mentorship, psychosocial support and community outreach. These partnerships can build trust and improve cultural and contextual relevance. 
• Leverage regional councils for funding and outreach: Work closely with regional councils to secure financial support and expand the reach of local R&R initiatives, particularly those with grassroots engagement and strong social impact. 
• Allocate sustainable funding and human resources: Institutionalise budget lines and hire dedicated staff for R&R initiatives across sectors such as social work, youth services, community safety and mental health. Reduce dependency on short-term projects by embedding R&R into regular municipal planning cycles. 
• Invest in local capacity-building and knowledge sharing: Build the skills of local leaders, service providers and community actors through specialised training on trauma-informed care, reintegration planning and prevention. Promote cross-municipality exchanges and learning platforms to support innovation and replication of good practices. 
• Develop robust monitoring and evaluation systems: Establish frameworks to measure the effectiveness of R&R initiatives using both qualitative and quantitative data and use findings to refine approaches and demonstrate impact to communities and external partners. 

For National Governments

• Foster coordination and multi-level partnerships: Develop structured frameworks for cooperation between national bodies and municipalities. Cities should be formally recognised in national strategies, with regular platforms to align priorities, share information and coordinate R&R interventions. 
• Strengthen institutional representation of municipalities: Include municipalities as full members of national and regional R&R committees to ensure local perspectives are reflected in policymaking and resourcing. 
• Expand municipal legal mandates for engagement in R&R: Update national legal and policy frameworks to define and empower municipal roles in R&R, enabling them to build formal partnerships with government agencies, NGOs, academia and the private sector, and access relevant funding streams. 

For International Partners and Donors

• Deepen engagement with international organisations and donors: Encourage international actors to support training and capacity-building – including through peer learning for city-led R&R initiatives. Municipalities should proactively seek partnerships and showcase promising practices for wider replication. 
• Support long-term funding and technical assistance: Donors should prioritise sustained, flexible funding for municipal R&R programming and invest in long-term capacity-building for local actors, particularly around monitoring and evaluation, gender-sensitive approaches and community resilience. 

Next Steps

Building on the insights and momentum generated through this workshop, Strong Cities will continue to support local governments and partners in Morocco and beyond to strengthen their engagement in rehabilitation and reintegration efforts. As a next step, Strong Cities will work closely with interested municipalities to identify priority areas for capacity-building and technical assistance, including support for the development of local action plans, coordination frameworks and community-based interventions. Where possible, Strong Cities will facilitate peer exchange opportunities with cities from Europe, North America and the MENA region to deepen practical learning on inclusive, rights-based approaches to R&R. At the national level, Strong Cities will engage with relevant ministries and partners to advocate for the formal recognition and resourcing of municipalities as key actors in R&R strategies, and to advance whole-of-society responses that place prevention, inclusion and resilience at their core. 

Additional Resources

• Countering Hate Speech in Times of Crisis: Considerations for Mayors and Local Governments, Strong Cities Network, December 2024 
• Managing Migration: City-Led Approaches for Being an Inclusive, Welcoming and Socially-Cohesive City, Strong Cities Network, December 2024 
• City-Led Prevention of Hate, Extremism and Polarisation: Leveraging Local Youth Councils, Strong Cities Network, December 2024 
• City-Led Youth Engagement in Addressing Hate, Extremism and Polarisation: Ten Recommendations for Cities, Strong Cities Network, December 2024 
• Creating Safe, Cohesive and Resilient Cities through Urban Planning & Design: Ten Considerations for Mayors and Local Governments, Strong Cities Network, December 2024 
• National-Local Cooperation: A Pillar of City-Led Prevention of Hate, Extremism and Polarisation – A Practice Update, Strong Cities Network, December 2024 
• Global Crises, Local Impacts Initiative, Strong Cities Network, 2024 
• A Guide for Cities: Preventing Hate, Extremism & Polarisation, Strong Cities Network, updated 2024 
• A Guide for Mayors: Preventing and Responding to Hate, Extremism & Polarisation, Strong Cities Network, updated 2024 
• A Guide for City-Led Response, Strong Cities Network, May 2024 
• Constructing UNESCO Media and Information Literacy Cities, Operational Guidelines, May 2024
• City Spotlights Library, Strong Cities Network 
• National-Local Cooperation Toolkit, Global Counterterrorism Forum, Strong Cities, September 2023 
• Rehabilitation and Reintegration of Returnees from Syria and Iraq: Ten Lessons from the Berlin Experience for Local Governments, Strong Cities Network, updated 2024 

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