22nd ‘African Lion’ Exercise Launched in Agadir
Agadir – In accordance with the High Instructions of His Majesty the King, Supreme Commander and Chief of General Staff of the Royal Armed Forces, the Moroccan and U.S. forces are jointly organizing, through May 8, the 22nd edition of the ‘African Lion’ exercise.
At the headquarters of the South Zone Command in Agadir, an opening ceremony was held on Monday to mark the official launch of this multinational joint exercise, attended by representatives of participating countries.
During the ceremony, co-chaired by Major General Mohammed Benlouali, Chief of Staff of the South Zone, and Brigadier General Daniel Cederman, Deputy Commander of the U.S. Army’s Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF), the overall concept of the exercise and the related activities for this 22nd edition were presented.
Speaking on this occasion, Major General Mohammed Benlouali noted that this event is a significant strategic step forward in the process of enshrining the constructive military partnership between the FAR and the U.S. Armed Forces, across all their components, as well as with their counterparts from participating brotherly and friendly nations.
“This exercise seeks to strengthen partnership and integration in areas of planning, to upgrade operational readiness, thereby contributing to the gradual improvement of operational performance, the expansion of areas of cooperation, and the enhancement of expertise and skills at various levels and in various specialties,” he added.
For his part, Brigadier General Daniel Cederman emphasized that partnership is the foundation of the “African Lion” exercise, noting that this year’s objectives are clear: “to increase readiness, reinforce interoperability, and improve our ability to execute joint missions in complex environments.”
He added, “We are building forces capable of responding quickly and efficiently to common challenges.”
Over 5,000 personnel from the armed forces of approximately 40 participating and observer nations are taking part alongside the FAR and the U.S. Armed Forces in these innovative military exercises.
Scheduled to take place in Benguerir, Agadir, Tan-Tan, Taroudant, Dakhla, and Tifnit, the “African Lion 2026” exercise includes several activities, including tactical, land, maritime, and air exercises—both combined and day-and-night operations—a special forces exercise, airborne operations, and a field command exercise.
This year’s edition is distinguished by its expansion into rapidly evolving fields, notably outer space, electromagnetic warfare, and cyberspace, with the integration of unmanned aerial systems into operational planning and execution.
This 22nd edition also includes training in countering weapons of mass destruction and medical, surgical, and social services provided to the population of the El-Faid region (Taroudant) by a military field hospital, as well as other services in Dakhla.
In preparation for the exercise, academic training sessions, which began on April 20 and are to continue until April 30, aim to effectively prepare for upcoming command exercises and maneuvers by allowing participants to learn about the content to be implemented during the planning and execution phases.
This initial phase, known as “academics,” which forms the foundation of the exercise, is structured around 20 specialized modules on the coordinated mastery of emerging technologies (unmanned aerial systems, cybersecurity, satellite operations, etc.).
By helping to strengthen operational, technical, and procedural interoperability among participating militaries, the “African Lion 2026” exercise—the largest exercise conducted in Africa—is a key event where military leaders come together to share procedures and experiences, particularly in areas of joint training and combined operations.