The Kingdom of Morocco’s key role in peace and stability in Africa was highlighted on Wednesday in Addis Ababa at the 16th Ordinary Ministerial Meeting of the African Union (AU) Specialized Technical Committee (STC) on Defense, Safety, and Security.
Ambassador Permanent Representative of the Kingdom to the AU and the ECA-UN, Mohamed Arrouchi, leading the Moroccan delegation at this 16th Ordinary Session of the STC on Defense, Safety, and Security of the AU, emphasized that military cooperation between Morocco and African countries is part of the Kingdom’s solidarity and traditional vision, under the enlightened leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, Supreme Commander and Chief of General Staff of the Royal Armed Forces. It aims to prevent conflicts and maintain peace and stability on the African continent, Mr. Arrouchi reaffirmed.
This cooperation is an effective tool for implementing the African roadmap to silence the guns by strengthening the capacities of African armies and improving their interoperability, the Moroccan diplomat reiterated.
Framed by several Framework Agreements and Technical Arrangements concluded between Morocco and its African partners, this cooperation covers several areas, including training and exercises, technical and logistical support, exchange of expertise, humanitarian assistance, and participation in Peacekeeping Operations, Mr. Arrouchi explained.
In this regard, Morocco’s considerable efforts through the deployment of its peacekeepers in UN missions in Africa and the detachment of personnel to the AU logistics base in Douala are significant, the Moroccan diplomat affirmed, adding that through these contributions, Morocco ranks 9th among UN troop-contributing countries. Furthermore, the recent establishment of a Center of Excellence for Peacekeeping Operations in Morocco could be beneficial for the training of African personnel in this field, he noted.
From this perspective, Morocco, along with some African countries, has gained invaluable experience and expertise in peacekeeping operations since its commitments dating back to 1960, which could be leveraged in the re-conceptualization process of Peace Support Operations (PSO) in general, and the African Standby Force (ASF) in particular. In this regard, delegations, including the Kingdom’s, have emphasized during expert and Chief of Staff meetings the importance of adopting an inclusive and equitable approach, which would ultimately not deprive the continent of any of its potentialities in support of peace and stability in Africa, Mr. Arrouchi asserted.
Furthermore, on the humanitarian front, Morocco’s contribution is also crucial. Indeed, several Field Medical-Surgical Hospitals (HMCC) have been deployed in Africa, providing over 600,000 medical services.
In the context of military training, the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces actively participate, alongside their African counterparts, in joint exercises and maneuvers, including the multinational African Lion exercise organized annually in the Kingdom with the participation of units or observers from the continent. These joint activities promote the exchange of expertise and optimize the operational capabilities of the Armed Forces of our respective countries, emphasized the Moroccan diplomat.
Regarding military training, over 24,000 African trainees have so far undergone training at FAR establishments. Additionally, FAR mobile teams are deployed to provide specific training in partner countries, he indicated.
Furthermore, cooperation in the field of training is further strengthened through partnerships established between FAR training establishments and military schools in certain African countries. In the same vein, FAR organized in May of this year the 1st edition of the Forum of Directors of African War Colleges, open to all African countries with a War College, with the next edition scheduled to take place in Morocco in 2025. Thus, cooperation in the field of military training enhances the interoperability of our forces in terms of tactics, techniques, and procedures and improves their ability to act jointly in Peace Support Operations (PSO) or humanitarian actions, reaffirmed the Moroccan diplomat.
As part of the safeguarding of peace and security in African states and guided by the enlightened vision of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, Supreme Commander and Chief of General Staff of the Royal Armed Forces, Morocco’s contribution to various peace initiatives and operations further confirms its commitment to defending universal values of peace and security worldwide, in general, and on our continent, in particular, reaffirms its full adherence to respect for legality and international law, and reiterates its full readiness to support requesting brotherly African countries in the framework of solidarity South-South cooperation, to help us all address the security challenges facing Africa and its citizens.
