NATO plans to hold a military training programme in Morocco for African armed forces by the end of 2026 or early 2027. The programme, known as the Defence Education Enhancement Programme (DEEP), will focus on training non-commissioned officers from African countries. The Royal Armed Forces and Nato are preparing the session, Africa Intelligence says. The plan follows several years of military education cooperation between Morocco and Nato.
Nato said in its 2025 annual report that Morocco had already started working with the alliance and other African countries to improve the skills of non-commissioned officers.
The Royal Armed Forces have also adopted DEEP training programmes for non-commissioned officers across different branches of the military.
NATO’s DEEP programme has discussed using the experience gained in Morocco to help train military personnel from other African countries.
The move comes as military cooperation with the United States also grows.
On 13 July, the Royal Armed Forces and US Africa Command (AFRICOM) signed an agreement to set up the Africa Multidomain Training and Experimentation Centre in Tan-Tan.
The centre is expected to include a training area, a drone academy and a centre for innovation and testing by 2030.
The facilities will be used to train Moroccan troops as well as military personnel from other African countries.
African Lion 2026 already included a drone training session in Agadir. Military personnel from Morocco, Nigeria, Ghana and the United States took part.
The exercises have also helped the Royal Armed Forces work more closely with Western militaries. They included the first test of the Link-16 military communications system in Africa.
The new Nato programme and the planned US centre in Tan-Tan could give Morocco a bigger role in training African military forces.
