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Marrakech – Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan on Thursday presided over a luncheon at the Officers’ Mess Club in Rabat to mark the 70th anniversary of the creation of Morocco’s Royal Armed Forces (FAR). The event was held on instructions from King Mohammed VI, Supreme Commander and Chief of the General Staff of the FAR.
The occasion carried added significance. Earlier this month, on May 2, the monarch appointed the Crown Prince as Coordinator of the Offices and Services of the FAR General Staff. The role mirrors the one the King himself held as Crown Prince starting in 1985, when his father, the late King Hassan II, named him to the same post.
A Royal Cabinet communiqué at the time of the appointment noted that the FAR carry out their national duty and humanitarian missions under the King’s leadership, guided by values of “competence and discipline, of uprightness and engagement, of sincere patriotism, and of a high sense of responsibility.”
Upon his arrival on Thursday, the Crown Prince was greeted by the Inspector General of the FAR and Commander of the Southern Zone, Mohammed Berrid, before reviewing a detachment of the Headquarters Battalion that rendered honors.
He was then received by the head of government, the minister delegate in charge of national defense, the commander of the Royal Gendarmerie, the inspector of the Royal Air Force, the inspector of the Royal Navy, and other senior military officials.
The luncheon brought together a broad cross-section of Morocco’s political and military establishment. Attendees included the head of government, the presidents of both chambers of parliament, royal advisers, the president of the Court of Cassation, the prosecutor general, members of the cabinet, heads of constitutional bodies, Royal Cabinet members, senior FAR officers, and foreign military attachés accredited to Rabat.
The King’s message spanned multiple fronts
At the center of the day’s commemorations was the King’s Order of the Day addressed to officers and enlisted personnel across the FAR.
In it, the sovereign described the 70th anniversary as “an occasion of profound significance in the history of our country” and “a national epic through which we remember, with pride and regard, the evolution of this solid national institution and the laudable actions and enormous sacrifices it continues to make so that Morocco remains a safe country, preserving its territorial integrity.”
The King acknowledged the FAR’s accomplishments while stressing the need to “continue working to promote our Armed Forces and develop them further so that they constantly keep pace with the profound changes the world is experiencing.”
He pointed to the FAR’s role in securing Morocco’s land, maritime, and air borders, along with their commitment to rescue operations and aid delivery to affected populations.
On the humanitarian front, the King noted the coordinated evacuation of residents of Ksar El Kebir and several villages in the Gharb region during recent flooding. The operation involved the FAR, the Royal Gendarmerie, the National Security forces, the Auxiliary Forces, and Civil Protection units, and was carried out “with meticulous planning and coordination.”
The King also recognized the deployment of military field hospitals and logistics units to remote mountain areas in the provinces of Azilal, Al Haouz, and Midelt following extreme weather events, describing their impact as “comforting to the morale of our loyal subjects.”
On the strategic level, the Order of the Day framed the development of the FAR’s defense capabilities as “a major priority and one of the essential pillars” of Morocco’s military modernization strategy.
The King called for continued progress on programs in scientific research, artificial intelligence, digitalization, and cybersecurity – all of which, he noted, are “apt to consolidate the qualitative transformation within the Royal Armed Forces” and improve personnel capabilities through updated training and professional development.
The King further affirmed Morocco’s commitment to international partnerships, pledging that the FAR would remain engaged in regional and global stability efforts through strengthened bilateral and multilateral military cooperation.
On the domestic front, the Order of the Day touched on military conscription, which the King described as playing “a major role in reinforcing the spirit of citizenship and belonging to the homeland.” He pointed to an integrated approach aimed at modernizing training methods and expanding partnerships with public institutions “to develop the skills needed by conscripts in new technical specializations that meet the current professional needs of our country.”
In the social domain, the King announced orders for the creation and renovation of military hospitals in Rabat, Meknes, Errachidia, and Laayoune. He also directed the Military Housing and Equipment Agency to launch a supplementary program of 60,000 housing units over five years – at a pace of 12,000 units per year – to provide military personnel and their families with adequate housing.
Celebrations across garrisons and military units nationwide
Parallel ceremonies took place at military installations across Morocco. In Agadir, Major General Mohammed Benlouali, Chief of Staff of the Southern Zone, presided over a ceremony at the Southern Zone headquarters that included a military parade and the decoration of officers and enlisted personnel.
In Meknes, Brigadier General Hassan El Yousfi, Director of the Royal Military Academy, led a ceremony attended by cadre officers, officer cadets, and military high school students. Eight military personnel at the academy received royal decorations.
At the Social Services Training Center in Temara, Intendant Colonel-Major El Hassane Mazer oversaw proceedings that featured a military parade and the awarding of royal Wissams.
Near Sale, General Mohamed Haramou, Commander of the Royal Gendarmerie, presided over a ceremony at the Boulaajoul air base.
All ceremonies across garrisons and military units nationwide followed the same protocol: the raising of the national flag, the reading of the King’s Order of the Day, the awarding of royal decorations, and troop parades. The FAR were officially established on May 14, 1956.
