Morocco Vows to Improve Safety Standards of Its Military Aircraft

Rabat – Morocco’s Council of Ministers has approved a draft decree that aims to create a Directorate of Military Aeronautics (DAM) with the objective of improving the safety of military aircraft.

According to a press release from Royal Palace Spokesperson Abdelhak Lamrini, the draft decree seeks to set up a system of airworthiness of military aircraft with respect to civil aviation’s safety standards.

Airworthiness refers to the aircraft’s ability to conduct safe flights. The measure considers the state of the engine and other parts of the aircraft to prevent military aircraft crashes related to technical dysfunctioning such as the case of the 2019 Miraj F1 crash.

The draft decree was part of the agenda at this week’s cabinet meeting.

On Tuesday, King Mohammed VI chaired the council of ministers, Morocco’s governing cabinet, for a meeting to examine the 2023 draft budget law. During the meeting, the gathered officials addressed and approved several draft decrees and a series of international agreements.

The governmental meeting follows King Mohammed VI’s opening of the second legislative year on Friday. In his speech, the Moroccan monarch called upon MPs to take urgent measures to address water scarcity and attract investments.

King Mohammed VI’s speech was aimed at reinvigorating the Moroccan socioeconomic agenda to boost local industries and overcome long-term challenges such as climate change and water scarcity.

As Morocco plans to consolidate its position as a leading economic hub in Africa, the country needs to maintain and promote stability and security along its borders and within the region.

With diplomatic tensions between Rabat and Algiers persisting and the Sahel region witnessing an alarming series of recent destabilizing coup d’etats, Rabat has been working on upgrading its military equipment in partnership with its largest arms supplier, the US.

However, Israel, China, Turkey, and India are emerging as new potential military partners for Morocco. The four countries have expressed interest in supplying Rabat with their most-recent defense technology aiming to build partnerships with the country and expand in the African market.