Morocco’s Royal Navy and the US Marine Corps have pledged to work together on supporting stability in North Africa as part of the multifaceted US-Morocco military cooperation .
The Commander of US Marine Corps Forces in Europe and Africa, Major General Michael Langley, held a telephone conversation on Wednesday, January 6, with the Moroccan Royal Navy Inspector, Vice Admiral Mostafa El-Alami.
During the phone call, the US commander thanked El-Alami for Morocco’s continued commitment to regional maritime security, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The two military leaders discussed the joint military exercises that took place in recent years with the participation of US Marines and the Moroccan Royal Armed Forces.
Major exercises include the training of Moroccan troops to dispose of explosive devices, under the US Humanitarian Mine Action Program, as well as the large-scale African Lion exercise, which allows cooperation between US and African military forces.
Read also: Morocco, US Prepare for African Lion 2021 Military Exercise
Langley and El-Alami affirmed during their conversation the importance of the US-Morocco partnership and their dedication to further strengthen the relationship between the US Marine Corps and the Moroccan Royal Armed Forces.
The high-ranking military officers also discussed opportunities to increase joint training exercises between the US Marines and the Moroccan Royal Navy to improve their interoperability.
The phone call confirms the privileged relationship that Morocco and the US enjoy in the fields of security and military action, with the US serving as one of the main arms suppliers for the Moroccan military.
In October 2020, the two countries signed a 10-year Defense Cooperation Roadmap. The agreement seeks to improve information sharing between Moroccan and American military and security services. It also aims to increase military preparedness for joint operations.
On a multilateral level, Morocco and the US cooperate within the frameworks of several international security alliances, such as the Global Counter Terrorism Forum (GCTF) and the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS.
