Doha – In his 2023 Annual Report, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg emphasized the importance of the Alliance’s partnership with Morocco in addressing security challenges in the Mediterranean region.
The report reveals that additional consultations were held in 2023 with NATO partners, specifically Morocco, Australia, Korea, Iraq, Qatar, Kuwait, Colombia, and Algeria, primarily focused on counterterrorism.
Morocco stands out among these countries for its achievements in fighting illegal immigration, transnational organized crime, and its provision of critical intelligence to Western partners in countering extremism and terrorism.
Morocco’s accomplishments have earned it a distinguished and pivotal role in multi-stakeholder dialogue in the Mediterranean basin. The country has significantly contributed to security and stability in the region by tackling maritime terrorism and the influx of illegal immigration, which pose major security challenges to the other side of the Mediterranean.
According to the report, “NATO and its Middle Eastern and North African partners continued to cooperate on a wide array of issues, ranging from counter-terrorism, small arms and light weapons, and countering improvised explosive devices to crisis management, civil preparedness, resilience and the Women, Peace and Security agenda.”
The Moroccan Armed Forces participated in Operation Sea Guardian, a NATO-led maritime security operation in the Mediterranean, alongside forces from Britain, Spain, and Portugal.
Morocco also took part in the STEADFAST JACKAL 23 exercise, focused on computer-assisted command centers, held in Spain and Norway in late 2023.
The Alliance continued to provide support in military education to 15 partner countries through the Defence Education Enhancement Programme, with Morocco being a key beneficiary. This support aims to help partners build, develop, and reform their professional military educational institutions.
In recognition of its strong ties with the United States and its leadership in the Arab world, Morocco was designated as a major non-NATO ally in 2004. Over the past two decades, the country has accumulated significant experience in dealing with phenomena that threaten its security and that of its regional and international partners.
The US State Department’s electronic magazine, “State Magazine,” recently highlighted Morocco’s role as a space for peace and stability in a region facing numerous challenges. The magazine, which dedicated its “Post of the Month” to the Moroccan-American strategic partnership, noted that the kingdom plays a “pivotal role” in regional efforts related to security and counterterrorism.
The article also mentioned the annual “African Lion” military exercises between the two countries, which constitute “the largest annual military training exercise on the continent.” Morocco is set to host the “African Lion 2024” exercises from May 20 to 31, 2024, in various locations across the country.
David Fischer, former US Ambassador to Morocco, was quoted saying; “You won’t find any other country in Africa that’s as stable and as reliable an ally as Morocco.”
The magazine noted that Morocco holds a “special place” in the history of U.S. international relations, as it was the first country in the world to recognize the independence of the United States in 1777.
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