Morocco Launches Domestic Arms Industry with US Military Support

23 November 2020 – bySylvanus@Bladi · 1 min read

Morocco can now embark on the manufacture of weapons after the adoption of the law allowing the military establishment to establish industrial units for the manufacture of weapons on national territory. The kingdom will have to rely on the military expertise of the United States with whom it has signed a historic strategic military cooperation agreement for a period of 10 years.

Abdellatif Loudiyi, Minister Delegate to the Head of Government, in charge of the Administration of National Defense, has returned a report concerning "the law relating to defense and security materials and equipment, weapons and ammunition to Parliament, which confirms this information.

This report indicates that this law will open up great opportunities for the Royal Armed Forces, which will be able to invest in industrial activities dedicated to the defense and development of the arms industry on Moroccan territory. Reliable sources report that the Moroccan arms industry will be heavily dependent on American technology.

Mike Esper, U.S. Secretary of Defense, and his Moroccan counterpart had signed, on October 2, a historic strategic military cooperation agreement for the 2020-2030 decade. "The agreement should strongly consolidate military cooperation with the United States by promoting joint investment projects in Morocco in the industrial sector, in order to promote technology transfer and gradually build the strategic autonomy of the Kingdom in this field," said a statement sanctioning the meeting of these two senior officials.

Category: Economy

Keywords:

United States Defense - Armament Abdellatif Loudiyi