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Rabat – The Phoenix Express 2022 military exercise organized by the US is set to take place between May 23 and June 3 at the La Goulette Naval Base in Tunis.
The exercise will see the participation of various European and North African countries, including Morocco. Other notable participants are Algeria, Spain, and Libya.
Belgium, Egypt, Greece, Italy, Malta, Mauritania, Tunisia, the United Kingdom, and the US will also be participating.
The exercise will focus on regional cooperation, maritime domain awareness, and information sharing practices, and dealing with threats of irregular migration and trafficking of illegal goods, according to the US Navy.
Enhancing operational capabilities and efforts to promote the safety and security of the participating North African countries are also an important element of the exercise, the US navy’s website adds.
“Phoenix Express is a testament to the importance of our joint defense cooperation with Tunisia and regional maritime partners to ensure the safety and security of the Mediterranean and sustain global commerce,” US Charge d’Affaires in Tunisia Natasha Franceschi said.
The exercise is one of three regional maritime exercises organized in the Mediterranean by US forces. The exercises are part of an international cooperation strategy to ensure the readiness of African allies on a variety of security concerns.
Morocco has been strengthening its cooperation with international allies on the military front, particularly with the US and UK.
Read also: Morocco, US Agree to Advance Military Cooperation
Earlier this year, the US issued a waiver to maintain military cooperation with the kingdom, with officials from the Department of Defense and US military stressing the importance of the alliance between the two countries despite some internal US political divisions on the matter.
The US recently transferred two interceptor boats to the Moroccan navy, in anticipation of the annual African Lion joint exercise, which will take place in Morocco and is considered the largest military exercise in all of Africa.
