Large Moroccan Delegation Pays Working Visit to U.S. for 14th Meeting of Defense Consultative Committee

Rabat – On the High Royal Instructions, the Minister Delegate to the Head of Government in charge of the National Defense Administration and the Lieutenant General, Inspector General of the FAR and Commander of the Southern Zone, led a large delegation on a working visit to the United States of America from April 14 to 16, on the occasion of the 14th meeting of the Morocco-U.S. Defense Consultative Committee.

A highly strategic sequence during which the Moroccan officials were received at the highest level by Pete Hegseth, US Secretary of Defense, in the presence of the Ambassador of Morocco to Washington, Youssef Amrani, and the Ambassador of the United States to Rabat, Duke Buchan III. They held in-depth discussions on strengthening and elevating bilateral relations between the two countries, particularly in the areas of defense, the defense industry, and cybersecurity, the General Staff of the Royal Armed Forces (FAR) said in a statement. On this occasion, both parties strongly welcomed the historic and exemplary relations that form the solid foundation of the historic alliance between the Kingdom of Morocco and the United States of America, continuously driven and supported by the structuring commitments of the highest authorities of the two countries under the leadership of their illustrious Heads of State, the same source added. This visit was also an opportunity for the Moroccan delegation to commend the American position supporting the Kingdom’s full and complete sovereignty over its Sahara, as well as to highlight Morocco’s sustained efforts, as a committed actor for regional peace and security, to promote stability and prosperity at both the regional and international levels. In this regard, reference was made to the initiatives launched by His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist Him, particularly those relating to the African Atlantic Seaboard and the Morocco-Nigeria African-Atlantic Gas Pipeline, as well as Morocco’s recent commitment to Gaza within the framework of the Peace Council initiated by the American president. The active participation of Moroccan contingents in peacekeeping missions in Africa was also highlighted in this context. The meetings then focused on various aspects of military cooperation, noting the highly satisfactory results in several partnership areas between the Moroccan and American armed forces. These include the training of executives, the exchange of expertise and experiences, the organization of large-scale joint exercises such as “African Lion,” as well as issues related to military capabilities and equipment. Along these same lines, the two parties discussed ways to strengthen and expand cooperation into new areas such as the defense industry and cybersecurity. These areas are of growing interest given the multiplication and diversification of security challenges and threats facing both countries. Following this visit, the Moroccan and American officials signed the roadmap for defense cooperation for the 2026-2036 period. This signing materializes their shared desire to give new impetus to bilateral military cooperation and confirms their determination to expand and improve the efficiency of this partnership, the statement concludes.