Defense Minister of Morocco Abdellatif Loudiyi and US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley reviewed the state of bilateral military cooperation and discussed opportunities to further strengthen it, local media has reported.
The senior officials held a meeting in Rabat, capital city of Morocco, as part of the US general's working visit to the country.
"During this meeting, the two officials expressed their satisfaction with the excellent level achieved by the age-old relations of friendship and cooperation, consolidated by a strategic military partnership governed by an important legal arsenal," said the country’s national news agency MAP, citing the General Staff of the Royal Armed Forces.
In particular, the strategic defense partnership between the two countries includes the 2020-2030 roadmap for defense cooperation signed in October 2020. The two parties highlighted the importance of this accord aimed at strengthening military collaboration.
They also touched upon the topic of the combined annual exercise African Lion, which represents "a major lever for success serving the interoperability of the armed forces," according to the report.
US Africa Command's largest joint exercise this year is expected to be held between May 15 and July 18. Morocco has been hosting the African military exercise for a total of 18 years. Apart from Morocco, other host countries include Djibouti, Ghana, Senegal, and Tunisia. It will feature different joint exercises such as land, airborne, maritime, and civil-military operations.
The parties also reiterated their commitment to the tripartite declaration signed between Morocco, the US and Israel in December 2020 to promote peace and stability in North Africa and the Middle East.
This was Milley's first visit to the African continent as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. After the meeting, the US General told media that Morocco is a partner and great ally of the US not only in the region, but also in the continent. He also highlighted the important role Morocco plays in promoting stability and peace in Africa and the Middle East.
Morocco is not the only state in the region which has enhanced military cooperation with other countries by holding meetings between senior defense officials and conducting joint military drills. Neighboring Algeria, for example, is strengthening its defense cooperation with Russia.
Last month, Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev and Algerian security officials discussed issues of interaction between law enforcement agencies and special services.
In November last year, the countries held Desert Shield 2022 anti-terrorism exercises, which brought together some 200 soldiers from Russian and Algerian counterterrorism forces in Bechar Province, 50 kilometers from the Moroccan border.