Morocco is increasing its defence budget to boost its defence capabilities and local manufacturing
Morocco's ministerial council, chaired by King Mohammed VI, recently approved a draft finance law for the year 2025, as well as seven military-related projects. This once again reflects Morocco's commitment to strengthening its defence capabilities in order to maintain its regional military superiority in line with geopolitical transformations.
Morocco's military modernisation programme, seen as part of a comprehensive strategy to improve defence infrastructures, includes agreements for the purchase of advanced equipment such as aircraft and battle tanks, as well as air defence systems. Some of this armament comes from Rabat's main partners in this sector, such as the United States, India, China, Turkey and certain European countries.
At the recent meeting in Rabat 8 billion dollars were allocated to the budget for personnel and ministerial administration costs. According to Al-Arab, Morocco intends to increase the salaries of members of the Auxiliary Forces, the Civil Defence, the Royal Armed Forces and the Royal Gendarmerie.
Morocco's budget allocated to defence in 2024 amounted to about 12 billion dollars, which represents a significant increase compared to previous years. This increase highlights Morocco's objective to strengthen its military and defence capabilities by modernising equipment and acquiring new systems.
The Kingdom intends to reinforce defence infrastructures and modernise the armed forces by developing the defence industry and manufacturing drones to carry out intelligence missions and armed attacks. It also has parallel military agreements, whether in the field of defence or attack, with several countries such as the United States, Israel and Turkey.
In this regard, it should be noted that Morocco has joined the group of users of the Brazilian Embraer C-390 Millennium tactical transport aircraft. As announced by the Moroccan Army on social media, the C-390 Millennium will replace the older C-130 Hercules models in service in the Moroccan Air Force's tactical and logistical transport aviation.
Analyst Hisham Moataded considers Morocco's increase in the defence budget ‘consistent with its strategic orientations regarding the modernisation of its military sector’ and follows ‘its political plans related to the support and development of the defence industry, especially since the Moroccan military industry has become a fundamental lever in the geopolitical positioning Morocco has chosen in its strategic space’.
He explained to Al-Arab that the budget increase for the second time is ‘in line with the security challenges facing the region, especially the Sahel’. ‘The Kingdom is committed to guarding all land, sea and borders to control illegal immigration,’ Moataded points out, adding that ’the increase in the defence budget is due to the awareness of Moroccan decision-makers, especially the increase in various expenses associated with the purchase of weapons.’
‘Morocco has set out to establish an effective and ambitious defence plan to strengthen national security, based on its geographical location as a bridge between Europe and Africa, diversifying partners and creating an environment conducive to a local military industry,’ he adds.
