Contemplated in the draft Finance Law 2024

Morocco increases its arms budget by 4% to 11.3 billion euros

Un miembro de las Fuerzas Armadas Reales marroquíes observa el sobrevuelo de helicópteros de ataque estadounidenses AH-64 Apache durante el segundo ejercicio militar anual León Africano en la región de Tan-Tan, en el suroeste de Marruecos, el 30 de junio de 2022 - AFP/FADELSENNA — AFP/FADEL SENNA - A member of the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces observes the overflight of US AH-64 Apache attack helicopters during the second annual African Lion military exercise in the Tan-Tan region, southwestern Morocco, 30 June 2022

Updated: 23/10/23

Morocco has increased by 4.1% the 2024 budget item earmarked for "acquiring and maintaining armed forces equipment and supporting the development of the defence industry" to 124.766 billion dirhams (11.3 billion euros), 9.6% of the country's GDP.

This is the amount for the 2024-2025 period envisaged in the draft 2024 Finance Law (budget) approved by the Moroccan government and currently before parliament, compared to the 119.766 billion dirhams (10.9 billion euros) approved in the 2023 accounts for the 2023-2024 period.

This item in the 2023 budgets for procuring and maintaining military equipment increased by 3.5% compared to the 2022 accounts, when it was 115.554 billion dirhams (10.557 billion euros), but did not include, as in previous years, the defence industry development part.

AFP/FADEL SENNA
- Miembros de las Fuerzas Armadas Reales de Marruecos observan una explosión durante el segundo ejercicio militar anual del León Africano en la región de Tan-Tan, en el suroeste de Marruecos, el 30 de junio de 2022 — **AFP/FADEL SENNA -** Members of the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces watch an explosion during the second annual African Lion military exercise in the Tan-Tan region of southwestern Morocco on June 30, 2022

From the 2021 to 2022 budgets, it rose in turn by 4.1%, from 110.95 billion dirhams to 115.554 billion dirhams (from 10.13 billion to 10.557 billion euros).

In addition, the budget for the expenses of defence officials and their equipment has risen in the 2024 draft to 48.9 billion dirhams (4.4 billion euros), compared to 47 billion dirhams (4.2 billion euros) last year.

The draft budget foresees the creation of 7,000 new positions for civil servants in the defence administration for next year, the same number of posts created last year in this administration, which is the second largest employer after the Ministry of Interior (7,944 more posts).

PHOTO/FILE - Vehículo blindado del Ejército de Marruecos — **PHOTO/FILE -** Armoured vehicle of the Moroccan Army

In 2021, Morocco approved Law 10-20 related to defence and security materials and equipment, which seeks to develop an arms industry in the Maghreb country with the installation of industrial units and the manufacture of weapons by Moroccan operators and with the participation of foreign operators.

The increase in Moroccan military spending comes in a context marked by increased tension between Rabat and Algiers, after Algeria broke off bilateral relations and closed its airspace with its western neighbour in 2021. It is also marked by the return of hostilities with the Polisario Front - which claims independence for Western Sahara - which broke the ceasefire signed with the Maghreb country in 2020.

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