Marruecos se erige como el escudo de Occidente ante la amenaza ruso-iraní
Morocco's security efforts in the Sahel region, North Africa and the Sahara are increasingly necessary for the West. If we in Europe have the most peaceful coexistence in the world, it is thanks to the innumerable security campaigns carried out by the Moroccan executive with Mohammed VI at its head. For Washington, the quest for regional and, consequently, global stability is one of its ultimate goals. For all these reasons, the US has been working hand in hand with Rabat for more than two decades, which has given the Alawi country the highest strategic impact in Africa, second only to Ukraine in Europe due to the current armed conflict between the two countries and Moscow.
While Morocco is known as the 'gateway to Europe', at the same time it is also the retaining wall for all those under Russian-Iranian command who wish to destabilise the region, as is already the case in Mali and Burkina Faso with Russian interference and military training by the Wagner Group in the area. Moreover, the recent declaration of the withdrawal of French troops, who have hitherto hindered terrorist acts of all kinds, has increased the strength of those who wish to control the region, both in terms of capacity and the frequency of their attacks. Morocco's dependence is not limited to military capabilities and security expertise, as the Sahel region is a traditional area of religious influence for Morocco, allowing it to stand its ground against the Iranian sectarian expansion that is making inroads.
For the US, the North African nation is, in the words of Chief of Staff General Mark Milley, "a partner and a great ally". Contacts between the Biden and Mohammed VI administrations are at an all-time high. During his last visit, General Milley highlighted the strength of military relations between the two countries, expressing his country's desire to deepen and broaden them, referring in this regard to the African Lion manoeuvres that have been conducted for some 20 years and have proven their effectiveness, along with many other issues related to regional security. Historically, the US has been a nation eager to create social and political stability in many states, mainly in Central Asian and Gulf countries.
The United States, as a nation that has been described as "the world's reference point", sees Morocco as a perfect partner, as reflected in statements by US diplomats in their meetings with the Alawi executive. Washington's expansionist ambitions over the last century have provoked countless phobias and philias. The main reason: the quest for the imposition of a regime that comes close to the United States' approval, from Iraq to Yemen, Syria, Libya and Afghanistan, all examples of states that have failed as a result of US intrusion. However, relations with Rabat are a particular case in point. Political analysts and experts such as Hisham al-Mutadid see the strengthening of relations as a desire for mutual protection and a search for benefits in all areas for both nations.
Political analysts believe that strengthening US-Moroccan cooperation, in light of the growing struggle for influence between the major North African countries, will be an effective element in protecting the interests of the two countries, on the one hand, and will make Morocco, in particular, a balancing element that helps stability in this region with a vital dimension and blocks the way to any escalation driven by the Algerian regime to cover up its internal conflicts. Security developments in recent years have revealed the importance of Morocco's role in relation to Europe and the United States.
The Kingdom of Morocco played a leading role in the war on terror and provided its Western partners with valuable security data that helped dismantle several terrorist networks and thwarted their plans; indeed, it is estimated that the Moroccan administration has thwarted more than 2,000 attempted attacks since the 9/11 incidents. Morocco managed to open the eyes of Western countries to the strategic danger posed by cooperation between the Algerian regime and Iran, and was the first to reveal that Tehran had delivered drones to the Polisario Front and that Hezbollah had trained the militants of this separatist group, which made Europe feel that the Iranian threat was on its southern borders.
Subsequently, international reports backed up Morocco's claims about the danger of Algerian-Iranian cooperation and put additional pressure on Algeria, which became a factor of tension in the region not only because of increased Iranian activity, but also because of growing Russian influence, at a time when the Algerian regime's efforts to allay Western fears failed. Observers argue that Morocco has an additional strength in its religious and historical relations with Africa, as it is considered a spiritual reference point for Sufi movements, does not need to make much effort and its imams are on the ground, and Rabat is a regular meeting place for various political, religious and tribal leaders across the Sahel region.
During their meeting with Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita late last month, the Congressional delegation underscored the importance of the US strategic engagement with Morocco at the regional level, noting that Morocco is one of the closest and oldest allies of the US. In the context of the struggle for influence in North Africa, the US Congressional delegation's visit to Morocco coincided with Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev's visit to Algeria, where he met with the chief of the Algerian army general staff, Lieutenant General Said Chengriha, in order to "strengthen military cooperation and discuss issues of common interest", according to a statement from the Algerian Ministry of Defence, which indicated that the two sides "discussed military cooperation between the two countries and ways to improve it".
A few weeks ago, the Kingdom received the European Union's Foreign Policy Coordinator, Josep Borrell, who on behalf of the Union reopened the doors of the continent to all Moroccan diplomats who wish to intervene for both cultural and economic rapprochement. The North African nation has proven over the years, despite the tensions that arise, that it is the main key to the neighbourhood policy pursued by the EU with the aim of drawing closer to Africa, largely because of its enviable geostrategic location. The EU highlighted the full benefit to the inhabitants of Morocco's southern provinces of the agreements concluded between Rabat and Brussels and their positive impact on the socio-economic development of these regions.
The Union noted in its annual report for the year 2022 that, thanks to the boom achieved, the regions of the Moroccan Sahara have become a real pole of prosperity and investment in the framework of the "win-win" partnership with the European Union. As part of its holistic approach, the report noted that the various economic actors and representatives of civil society, including non-governmental organisations active in the field of human rights in these regions, stressed the great importance of the association agreement known as the "Agricultural Agreement", its successful implementation and its positive impact on the development of the Moroccan Saharan regions.
The arms and international security situation in the region is of great concern to the United States, especially with regard to the Libyan crisis, the instability of the Sahel and the growing Russian penetration through the Wagner Group. Algeria does not miss the opportunity to present itself as a spearhead in the war on terror in the Sahel region, but its affiliation with the Russian and Iranian school of armaments and supplies remains a source of concern for Washington, especially in light of rumours of prepared arms deals with Moscow, in addition to a 'deep strategic partnership agreement', which raised concerns in US and European circles and elites, who called on their governments to impose sanctions on Algeria for its close rapprochement with Russia.
Americas Coordinator: José Antonio Sierra.