RABAT –
The US Army said that Morocco will remain the cradle of the African Lion manoeuvres, in a new confirmation of the depth of relations between the two countries.
The 20th multinational African Lion military exercise kicked off Monday in Morocco under the joint leadership of the Moroccan and US armies.
US Army Southern Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) and the Moroccan Royal Armed Forces (FAR) held the opening ceremony at the Southern Zone Headquarters.
The ceremony included representatives from the participating nations.
Major General Mohammed Benlouali and US Army Major General Todd R. Wasmund co-chaired the proceedings, outlining the exercise scenario and planned activities.
According to a statement by the Moroccan army, the exercise is taking place between May 20-31 across several areas of central and southern Morocco, including Ben Guerir, Agadir, Tan-Tan, Akka and Tifnit.
Considered the biggest such exercise in Africa, African Lion is joined by 7,000 elements of the armed forces from some 20 countries in Africa and countries of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), the statement noted.
It added that the exercises includes combined day and night tactical, land, sea and air exercises, a special forces exercise, airborne operations and an operational planning exercise for Task Force staff.
The first African Lion exercise was launched in 2007 between Morocco and the US and is held annually with the participation of European and African armies.
The two generals commended the two decades of successful collaboration between Morocco and the United States, with General Wasmund expressing gratitude to the Moroccan Royal Armed Forces for their commitment.
“”I want to thank the Moroccan Royal Armed Forces … for 20 years of partnership, for the hospitality, friendship and spirit of collaboration you always extend when we come together for this event,” said Wasmund.
“Morocco is a vital strategic partner for the United States Army. Our partnership stretches back to the founding of America. Each year we come together for African Lion, we strengthen those historic bonds,” he added.
The opening ceremony featured a rehearsal of planned exercise activities, as well as speeches from senior Moroccan and US military officials highlighting the importance of the exercise in developing international collaboration and readiness.
“This version of African Lion exercise holds great importance as it documents 20 years of distinguished cooperation, partnership and enduring commitment to achieving security and peace,” said Benlouali, Morocco Southern Zone chief of staff.
“We take pride in the unique features of various cycles of this strong alliance which truly represent a shared commitment to achieving set goals, addressing challenges and tackling various issues,” he added.
Hicham Moatadhed, an academic and researcher in strategic affairs, told The Arab Weekly that the 20th African Lion manoeuvres reflects “the depth of the strategic cooperation that brings together Morocco and the United States, especially with regard to security cooperation and the defence of common interests and vital axes related to the national security of the two countries.”
He noted that choosing Morocco as a “primary and distinguished partner for the African Lion manoeuvres has political and geostrategic implications, and is a recognition of the kingdom as a solid ally for promoting peace throughout the Sahel and the Sahara region.”
In a related development, the Moroccan-American Defence Consultative Committee, which held two working meetings in Rabat, signed on Tuesday, at the headquarters of the General Staff of the Royal Armed Forces, a roadmap for bilateral military cooperation.
The military cooperation roadmap includes the guidelines to follow for the implementation of the activities agreed upon at the 13th session of the Morocco-US Defence Consultative Committee (DCC), the General Staff of the Royal Armed Forces said in a press release.
The Inspector General of the Royal Armed Forces of Morocco Mohammed Berrid also met the US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defence for African Affairs Jennifer Zakriski, at the FAR general staff headquarters on Tuesday.
During the meeting, the two officials commended the strong relations between the Royal Armed Forces and the US Armed Forces, demonstrated through intense, frequent, and regular cooperation activities, according to a press release from the FAR General Staff.
Berrid stressed the long-standing ties between Morocco and the US, describing them as “excellent” and “historically rooted.”
He noted that these strong ties resulted from the signing of the Moroccan-American Treaty of Peace and Friendship in 1786.
The treaty, which was the first between any Arab, Muslim, or African State and the US, laid the foundation for a “centuries-old” and “historic” relationship, Berrid noted.
During the meeting various aspects of military cooperation between the two armies were discussed.
These include the defence industry, procurement of materials and equipment with necessary technical and logistical support, training, technology transfer and enhancing bilateral cooperation in disaster management.
In addition, the two officials focused on the role of the FAR in peacekeeping, highlighting it as a credible leader and partner in promoting regional peace, security, and cooperation.
Military collaboration between Morocco and the US operates under a defined roadmap spanning from 2020 to 2030, inked during the US Secretary of Defence Mark Esper’s visit to Morocco in 2020.
The roadmap aims to foster a strong alliance between the two countries to tackle security challenges.
The partnership encompasses various aspects such as strategic discussions, joint training exercises, participation in the Utah National Guard’s Partnership Programme, and mutual support in terms of financial aid and equipment provision.
