African Lion: USAFRICOM Commander Visits Morocco to Discuss Cooperation

Rabat – General Michael Langley, Commander of the United States Africa Command (USAFRICOM), arrived in Rabat today for an official working visit.

The visit saw General Langley meet with key Moroccan officials to discuss avenues for bolstering bilateral military cooperation.

Under instruction from King Mohammed VI, Abdeltif Loudyi, the delegate minister to the Chief of Government in charge of the Administration of National Defense, welcomed General Langley at the administration headquarters in Rabat.

During the meeting, discussions centered on the achievements of the existing military cooperation relations under the defense partnership roadmap for 2020-2030.

According to a statement, both parties expressed satisfaction with the progress made and acknowledged the positive outcomes resulting from the collaboration between the Moroccan Armed Forces and their American counterparts.

The parties equally stressed the importance of continued engagement. Discussions extended to possible ways to strengthen the partnership through joint initiatives and regular exchanges between senior military and political officials from both countries.

Loudyi shed light on Morocco’s Royal Initiative aimed at fostering peace, stability, and prosperity along the Atlantic coast of Africa. The initiative seeks to facilitate access to the Atlantic Ocean for Sahel countries, thereby promoting regional cooperation and security.

For his part, General Langley commended Morocco’s role as a stabilizing force in Africa. He emphasized the significance of Morocco’s efforts in advancing peace and security across the continent.

Following the discussions, both parties reaffirmed their commitment to consolidating their exemplary relations for mutual benefit and regional stability.

The Inspector General of the Royal Armed Forces also held talks with General Langley that delved into various aspects of bilateral military cooperation and regional security challenges.

The discussions reflected the shared commitment to combating terrorism and addressing security threats in the region. According to an official statement, the officials also covered plans for continuing collaboration in countering irregular migration and human trafficking networks, according to an official statement.

The news of the visit comes a few weeks after the General Staff of the Southern Zone hosted the main planning meeting for the 20th annual “African Lion 2024,” a US-Morocco joint military exercise.

The African Lion 2024 exercise aims to develop operational, technical, and procedural interoperability between the FAR and the forces of participating countries, as well as training in the planning and conduct of military drills.

The event is slated to happen between May 20 to May 31 of this year and will take place throughout Morocco in the regions of Agadir, Tan-Tan, Mehbes, Tata, Kenitra, Ben Guerir, and Tifnit.