Morocco Boosts Defense Budget to Record 5 Billion Euros Amid Algeria Tensions

"Next year’s budgets already foreshadow a historic increase in the Defense and armaments budget," says Atalayar, specifying that for the first time, the bar of 50 billion dirhams, or just under 5 billion euros, will be crossed. By allocating such an important budget to Defense, King Mohammed VI, Chief of the General Staff of the Royal Armed Forces, intends to further strengthen the Moroccan army to ward off any possible Algerian attack.

To read: Morocco Boosts Military Spending by 30%, Shifts to US and French Suppliers

With the resumption of diplomatic relations with Israel under the aegis of the United States under Trump, Morocco aims to create a factory for the manufacture of kamikaze drones. But in the meantime, the kingdom has already expressed its intention to acquire short and medium-range missile systems, armored vehicles and tanks from Israel in order to strengthen its army.

Morocco maintains very good relations with the United States, its privileged partner. According to Joey Hood, the US Assistant Secretary of State for the Middle East, "Morocco is the only country in Africa with which we have a free trade agreement, and we, as well as our companies, consider Morocco as a gateway to the continent." In this sense, the US authorities announced a few days ago the creation of a digital platform (Laayouneconnect.com) to promote the Sahara region, recognized as Moroccan territory by the United States under Trump.