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Rabat – The new US defense budget is likely to include increased military cooperation with Morocco. As the 2023 US budget continues to make its way through lawmaker reviews and recommendations, the Senate Committee on Appropriations has recommended increased military cooperation with Arab countries that have signed the Abraham Accords, including Morocco, the UAE, and Bahrain.
The expanded cooperation would also include Jordan, Egypt, and other gulf states, as part of US efforts to counter what it sees as an Iranian threat in the region.
The senators examining the budget proposal are pushing for an “integrated air defense network” between Israel and other Abraham Accords signing states, including systems to counter potential Iranian missile and airplane attacks.
The new recommendations could prove to be significant for Morocco, as some of the country’s previous requests for arms sales have been blocked by US lawmakers.
Earlier this year, Iowa Senator Joni Ernst proposed a bipartisan defense act that would encourage cooperation with Arab allies who have signed the accords to counter Iran’s perceived influence in the region.
In late 2021, the US senate blocked funds for the establishment of a US Consulate in Dakhla as part of its budgetary review, and other lawmakers have pushed similar legislation to block Moroccan interests.
US Senator Chris Coons, a member of the Senate Appropriations committee, brought forward a proposal barring the State Department from using any financial resources to establish a diplomatic presence in Dakhla.
Morocco re-established relations with Israel as part of the US-brokered Abraham Accords in late 2020, and has been increasing cooperation with Tel Aviv ever since.
In February, the two countries concluded a $500 million deal (MAD 5 billion) to provide the kingdom with the Barak MX air and missile defense system. Morocco also purchased the Skylock Dome anti-drone system from Israel in 2021.
