Rabat – Over 2,000 Senegalese soldiers have to date received military training from Morocco’s Royal Armed Forces (FAR), the FAR General Staff said in a statement on Tuesday, noting that the military training is part of the strong bilateral cooperation between Dakar and Rabat.
The FAR General Staff issued the statement as Cheikh Wade, the chief of the Staff of the Senegalese Army, visited Morocco this week with a large military delegation. During his visit and meeting with Moroccan officials Wade spoke warmly of the friendly and brotherly ties between Senegal and Morocco.
King Mohammed VI instructed the General Army Corps, Inspector General of the FAR, and Commander of the Southern Zone to honorably host the top Senegalese security official in Rabat.
During their meetings, Senegalese and Moroccan military officials discussed mutual cooperation as part of the historical ties binding the two countries enjoy. They spoke in particular of reinforcing their two countries’ cooperation in different fields, including military, training, and education.
In its Tuesday’s statement, the General Staff of the FAR emphasized that the training of officers and non-commissioned officers of the Senegalese Army at the schools and centers of the FAR has “always been the basis of Moroccan-Senegalese cooperation.”
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Regarded as one of the best militaries in Africa, Morocco’s FAR have long contributed to the training of army officials from a number of African countries. In addition, the widely celebrated success and effectiveness of Morocco’s elite counter-terrorism units has raised the North African country’s profile in continental and global security discussions.
Recently, the 2022 Global Firepower ranking put Morocco in 55th place out of 140 countries in terms of military power across the world. Echoing earlier reports on the efficiency of Morocco’s counter-terrorism approach, the global ranking said the North African kingdom is one of the world’s safest countries.
As well as committing to deepening their cooperation in other areas during the visit of the chief of the Staff of the Senegalese Army, Senegal and Morocco mainly expressed their desire to face common security challenges and further their cooperation in military training, including the African Lion and Flintlock exercises.
The African Lion 2022 military exercise is set to take place later this month, with the participation of dozens of military officials from several countries.
Set to take place in different cities across Morocco, including Agadir, Ben Guerir, and Tan Tan, the exercise is a joint training program with the goal of combating the scourge of terrorism across Africa, especially in the Sahel region.
Segal is one of Morocco’s strongest allies in Africa, and the West African country is among the African states that have cemented their support for Morocco’s territorial integrity and sovereignty over Western Sahara by opening a diplomatic representation in the region.
In April 2021, Senegal inaugurated its consulate general in Dakhla, southern Morocco, reiterating its long-standing, unwavering support for Morocco’s territorial integrity.
