Under royal instructions, Abdeltif Loudyi, the Moroccan Minister Delegate in charge of National Defense Administration, held discussions on Tuesday in Rabat with Vice Admiral Edward Ahlgren, the British military advisor for the Middle East and North Africa. This meeting was attended by the British Ambassador to Morocco, highlighting the significance of the diplomatic and military relationship between the two nations.
During their engagement, both officials acknowledged the exceptional quality of the historical ties shared between Morocco and the UK, emphasizing the effectiveness of their military cooperation. This collaboration is characterized by regular mixed military commissions, high-level official visits, and enhanced interoperability through joint military exercises. Furthermore, it is backed by several significant legal agreements, including the 1993 Framework Agreement on Military and Technical Cooperation, the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) signed in 2013, and other technical arrangements.
Vice Admiral Edward Ahlgren, on a working visit to Morocco, commended the leadership of the Moroccan Sovereign, noting that he has transformed the Kingdom into a "pillar of peace and stability," particularly within the MENA region. In response, Minister Delegate Abdeltif Loudyi highlighted the South-South cooperation initiatives and regional integration efforts spearheaded by King Mohammed VI, which have positioned Morocco as a key player in fostering stability, development, and shared prosperity across Africa.
At the conclusion of their discussions, both officials expressed a mutual desire to strengthen the partnership between Morocco and the UK in defense matters and to further intensify the bilateral military cooperation. Additionally, under the high instructions of King Mohammed VI, Supreme Commander and Chief of General Staff of the Royal Armed Forces, General Corps Mohammed Berrid, Inspector General of the FAR and Commander of the Southern Zone, hosted Vice Admiral Edward Ahlgren in Rabat on the same day, as announced by the General Staff of the FAR in a statement.
In this meeting, the two leaders explored various aspects of bilateral cooperation between the Royal Armed Forces and the British Armed Forces, which encompasses training, exchange of visits and experiences, and the organization of combined exercises. On this occasion, General Corps Mohammed Berrid expressed Morocco's strong commitment to continue promoting military cooperation with the UK and expanding it in the future into other areas of mutual interest, including intelligence sharing, border surveillance, electronic warfare, and cyber defense.
As reported by agenceafrique.com.
