Rabat – In execution of the Royal High Instructions concerning the holding of the 13th Session of the Defense Consultative Committee (DCC), the General of the Army Corps, Inspector General of the Royal Armed Forces (FAR) and Commander of the Southern Zone, received, on Monday, May 20, at the headquarters of the FAR General Staff in Rabat, Celeste Wallander, U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, accompanied by U.S. Defense Attaché accredited to Morocco, leading a significant military delegation on a working visit to Morocco from May 17 to 22, 2024.
At the beginning of their discussions, the two officials emphasized the strength and durability of the privileged ties and strategic partnership between the United States of America and the Kingdom of Morocco, according to a statement from the FAR General Staff. They also expressed their willingness to further develop these longstanding relations in the same spirit of friendship, mutual understanding, and shared trust.
The two off
icials expressed their satisfaction with the outcome of bilateral military cooperation, which has shown significant progress in several areas, including the conclusion of Agreements and Memoranda of Understanding, equipment and material acquisition, training and exercises, as well as the organization of combined inter-service and joint exercises, such as the “African Lion”, now in its 20th edition, the same source added.
During this meeting, several topics of interest were discussed, particularly related to security and defense challenges in Africa, Morocco’s important role in Peacekeeping Operations and humanitarian assistance, the fight against transnational threats, and the evolution of material acquisitions, according to the statement.
The meeting of the Defense Consultative Committee serves as a strategic dialogue platform where crucial regional security issues are discussed, and where the broad outlines of the future action plan with AFRICOM and the Utah National Guard are drawn, as well as the capaci
ty development projects managed by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), the same source emphasized. It was also noted that Moroccan-American military cooperation is governed by Agreements, Memorandums of Understanding, and bilateral technical arrangements, which specify the modalities of cooperation execution.
Source: Agence Marocaine De Presse