Rabat – Morocco’s heavy investment in military upgrades is apparently causing alarm in Spain, with many Spanish media reporting over the past week that the North African country’s increasing rise as a regional middle power could pose a serious threat to Spain.
Spanish news outlet LaRazon described Morocco’s military upgrade in the past few years as “unabated,” recalling the country’s heavy investments in arms supplies.
Morocco’s ultimate goal is not “to fall behind in the arms race with Algeria,” added the Spanish outlet, describing Algiers as the “perennial enemy” for Rabat.
Contrary to Spanish media speculation, Morocco has been focusing on boosting military capabilities to safeguard territorial integrity and also tackle regional security threats as the country is widely perceived as a large contributor to maintaining regional peace and security.
Morocco’s defense spending stands in stark contrast to the higher military budgets attributed to Algeria.
Notably, Morocco allocated $12 billion for its defense budget this year, compared to the Algerian regime’s $21,6 billion budget for its defense sector in 2024.
Read also: Morocco Maintains 61st Position in Military Strength Ranking
While arms race with Algeria is the primary reason behind Morocco’s constant upgrade of its arsenal, La Razon said Madrid should still be worried as a militarily strong Morocco could present a threat to Spain.
The Spanish outlet cited the unresolved disputes between Rabat and Madrid over Spanish “sovereignty” on Ceuta, Melilla, and the territorial waters off the Canary Islands as reasons for Spain to remain vigilant.
La Razon further cited the number of military equipment and cutting-edge technologies Morocco has purchased in recent years, notably the fast patrol boats, apache combat helicopters, and SpyX suicide drones, among others.
The report comes as bilateral ties between Morocco and Spain continue to see notable improvement since March 2022, when the Spanish government officially announced its decision to endorse the Moroccan Autonomy Plan as the most serious and credible political solution to end the dispute over Western Sahara.
Since then, Rabat and Madrid have increasingly indicated their determination to deepen bilateral ties and boost cooperation at all levels.
“We maintain excellent cooperation with Morocco, particularly in the fight against terrorism, illegal immigration, and the mafias involved in human trafficking,” Spain’s PM Pedro Sanchez said last week at the plenary session of the Lower House of the Spanish parliament, adding that his last visit to the North African country has “given a new dynamic to our bilateral ties.”
