In its continuous engagement with the most pressing national issues, and given the systematic and misleading digital campaigns that Morocco has been exposed to in recent years aiming to destabilize security and stability and sow doubt among citizens about their national institutions including the royal institution, His Majesty King Mohammed VI appointed Abdullah Boutarik, the Supreme Commander and Chief of General Staff of the Royal Armed Forces, as Director General of the General Directorate for Information Systems Security, according to an announcement on the Directorate’s website on Monday, September 1, 2025.

The General Directorate for Information Systems Security, known as “DGSSI,” is a government institution under the National Defense Administration, established in 2011 as part of the national cybersecurity strategy launched by the government to ensure the security of the cyber space, strengthen national governance mechanisms and the kingdom’s national security, in addition to reinforcing the legal and institutional framework and improving coordination between public and private actors. It is responsible for monitoring and protecting critical infrastructure, enhancing capabilities to respond to cyber incidents, raising awareness by developing cybersecurity skills and encouraging research in this field, as well as strengthening active participation in international forums and boosting Morocco’s position in cybersecurity.

This royal appointment of a high national competence such as the Supreme Commander and Chief of General Staff of the Royal Armed Forces at the head of the DGSSI was not arbitrary or a luxury, but rather part of the ongoing efforts Morocco continues to exert in cybersecurity, reflecting its firm commitment to securing and protecting the national cyber space, which is considered one of the most important strategic challenges in the digital transition process. Especially after a series of breaches targeted several institutions in both the public and private sectors, including the Ministry of Labor, the National Social Security Fund, banks, universities, and telecommunications companies, leading to the leakage of sensitive information about thousands of staff and users.

It is no secret that Morocco, which has achieved many victories at all levels thanks to the visionary leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, especially at the diplomatic level and its deep penetration into the heart of Africa and organizing major international forums, in addition to its strategic location and involvement in several regional and international issues, has aroused and continues to arouse the anger of enemies and adversaries, whether they have political, ideological motives or profit goals, foremost among them the Algerian military regime which failed to keep pace and obstruct Morocco’s developmental path and territorial unity, especially after successive recognitions of the Moroccan Sahara by several countries worldwide and increasing international support for the autonomy proposal under Moroccan sovereignty as the most effective and objective solution to the fabricated regional conflict.

Therefore, all those who harbor hatred against Morocco found no other means to confront it after all vile maneuvers and conspiracies failed, except resorting to organized and misleading attacks by exploiting the digital space to incite public opinion and attempt to affect its stability, sow doubt in its national institutions, and tarnish its image abroad, which requires the competent authorities to exert necessary efforts to raise the level of digital media education, enhance cybersecurity, and smartly handle various forms of information to face these ongoing “virtual” battles.

Morocco, like many countries, continues to be exposed to such systematic digital campaigns on social media through thousands of fake accounts, where the digital space is deliberately exploited with cunning methods as an effective means to incite citizens and distort its image internally and externally. These overwhelming waves of slanders and distortions rarely stop, spreading fake news and misleading information about several political files, such as the Moroccan Sahara issue followed by other files like judiciary and security institutions. Even the royal institution itself has not been spared from such fierce attacks, mostly carried out by fake accounts repeating provocative messages to confuse, raise doubts, threaten stability, or create a bleak image of Morocco on the international stage.

It is clear that Morocco is no longer isolated from this global phenomenon and will not be in the future, as it is among the most targeted victims of organized digital campaigns whose only goals are to destabilize its stability and harm its reputation, which requires intensifying efforts to counter fake accounts and uncover misleading campaigns through effective monitoring and digital data analysis to detect abnormal interaction patterns, such as the frequent repetition of the same malicious messages, to protect the digital space and the integrity of public opinion.

Morocco, which has made tremendous strides in development and achieved several victories in various fields under the enlightened leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, is capable of winning the challenge of achieving cybersecurity, thanks to its highly capable human resources in combating digital misinformation, not only by detecting false and misleading content but also by identifying and holding accountable those behind it, contributing to fortifying the digital space and securing accurate information within society.