Marruecos y Emiratos buscan reforzar la cooperación militar

Lieutenant General Hamad Mohammed Thani Al Rumaithi, Chief of Staff of the UAE Armed Forces, visited Morocco to meet with Abdellatif Loudiyi, delegate in charge of the National Defence Administration (ADN), and other senior Moroccan army officers, such as Belkhir El Farouk, Inspector General of the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces (FAR) and commander of the Southern Zone; and Abdellatif Hammouchi, head of the Moroccan General Directorates of National Security and Territorial Surveillance (DGSN-DGST).

During the meetings, the military officials discussed the current collaboration between the two countries, especially in the military and defence fields, and ways to improve them in order to 'promote their mutual interests', according to the Emirati news agency WAM. Among the areas where they have committed to increase military partnership are counter-terrorism and joint training of armed forces through a bilateral or multilateral strategy, such as the 'African Lion' military manoeuvres.

As a FAR press release points out, the bilateral meetings underlined the "deep and historic ties" between the two nations. The collaboration between FAR and the UAE Armed Forces dates back to 1980, when the two countries signed their first military agreement. "The senior officials welcomed the level of cooperation, while reiterating their desire to strengthen it further in accordance with the supreme will of the leaders of the two brotherly countries," the note added. 

Thani Al Rumaithi's trip to Rabat comes shortly after a visit by Abu Dhabi's General Staff Pilot General Faris Khalaf al Mazrouei to the North African country, reports Morocco World News.

The two countries have close ties in other areas, such as diplomacy and economics. In 2021, for example, trade between Morocco and the Emirates exceeded $800 million and Abu Dhabi sent 68 Mirage 2000-9 fighters to Rabat. A year earlier, the UAE became the first non-African state to open a consulate in Laayoune, expressing its support for Morocco's territorial integrity.

The two Arab nations also began exploring energy cooperation during a meeting between a Moroccan delegation and members of the Chamber of Industry of the Emirati city of Fayuaira in early 2022. This year, the UAE has also looked to Morocco for new investment opportunities in various fields, such as industry, construction, tourism, agriculture and mineral extraction.