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Rabat – France’s Minister of the Armed Forces and Veterans, Catherine Vautrin, received yesterday in Paris Morocco’s Delegate Minister in charge of the Administration of National Defense, Abdellatif Loudiyi, on the sidelines of the Eurosatory exhibition.
A statement from the French Ministry of Armed Forces Affairs said the two officials held a meeting to discuss avenues to strengthen defense ties between France and Morocco, particularly cooperation in the field of armaments.
The meeting comes as the two countries prepare for a high-level meeting scheduled for July in Rabat, as part of their ambition to boost bilateral ties at all levels.
“The discussions focused in particular on the ambition to strengthen defense capabilities and industrial cooperation between France and the Kingdom of Morocco through a mutually beneficial approach,” the statement said.
The meeting comes as Morocco continues to upgrade its military through intensified training, strengthening its workforce in the field, and diversifying its arms procurement partnerships.
Morocco continues to boost its position as the second-largest spender in terms of military.
A report from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) said in April that Morocco’s military spending rose by 6.6% in 2025.
France is among Morocco’s main arms suppliers, with the US topping the list.
According to military website Global Fire Power, Morocco is ranked 56 of 145 of the countries considered for the annual GFP review.
Morocco and France have reiterated their commitment to continue boosting bilateral cooperation
In May, a French delegation led by Minister of Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot visited Morocco to discuss bilateral ties.
Barrot co-chaired the second ministerial conference on peacekeeping with Morocco’s Foreign Affairs Minister Nasser Bourita.
“Morocco is our leading economic partner in Africa; it is a major logistics, energy and financial hub between France and parts of the continent,” he said, noting the strength of bilateral cooperation at all levels – including industry, energy security, defense and digital.
