UK Seeks to Bolster Military and Counter-Terrorism Ties with Morocco

"There are certain areas of defense engagement that the UK is particularly proud of - one of them is our training offer," explained Martin Sampson in an interview with Morocco World News. We hope that Morocco will continue to benefit from military training courses in Morocco and the UK in the years to come." According to him, the other aspect of military cooperation that the two countries need to develop further is that of counter-terrorism operations.

The health crisis related to Covid-19 has slowed the development of their military cooperation. But the senior British military official looks to the future with optimism. As Morocco and the world emerge from the pandemic, he pointed out, the two countries are eager to continue this cooperation. "We are particularly eager to resume our flagship bilateral exercise Jebel Sahara this fall," he said. This is an exercise that allows interoperability between Moroccan and British units.

Morocco’s strategic geopolitical position in Africa is certainly one of the main reasons for the close cooperation between the United Kingdom and the kingdom. "Security issues in Africa, particularly in the Sahel region, are indeed also important for the UK," explained Martin Sampson. "Given the growing concern over the deterioration of the security situation in the Sahel region and the resulting impacts, including increased migration to North Africa and Europe and the trafficking of illicit goods, the sharing of expertise in these areas will become increasingly valuable in our bilateral relationship," he added.