Reino Unido y Marruecos desarrollan la cooperación en materia de seguridad

Diplomatic relations between the UK and Morocco continue to grow, with cooperation in various areas of each side's national politics and economy. Thanks to the great bond they have, the British Isles want to further strengthen security with the Alawi kingdom. This was stated by Martin Elliot Sampson, Air Marshal and Britain's chief defence adviser for the Middle East and North Africa.

According to the army officer, London is keen to further develop its military operations with the Alawi country. In an interview with Morocco World News, Sampson said that counter-terrorism operations are the main concern of the two territories, which is why training and military exercises are being carried out to prevent and respond to any situation that may arise and affect the two countries.

"There are certain areas of Defence engagement in which the UK is particularly proud, one of which is our training offer. We hope that Morocco will continue to benefit from military training courses in Morocco and the UK in the coming years," Sampson said.

For the British Isles, working with Morocco to solve the Sahel issue is one of its main concerns and that is why there is close cooperation between the two kingdoms. The Sahel is one of the places where armed conflicts and crimes against humanity continue unabated. Large terrorist groups gather in this area and worsen the situation there. In addition to this, there is the large-scale migration of the people who live there in order to escape the conflict.

In addition to the criminal problem, there is poverty and food shortages, as well as climate change. This is one of the areas where they have the least food to survive, and where there are no jobs or employment opportunities. The Sahel is an unresolved humanitarian crisis, experts say.

"The security challenges in Africa, particularly in the Sahel, are also important for Britain. Given the growing concern about the deteriorating security situation and the resulting impacts, including increased migration to North Africa and Europe and the trafficking of illicit material, sharing expertise with Morocco in this area will be increasingly valuable in enhancing our bilateral relationship," Marshal Sampson commented during the interview. 

Despite this extensive collaboration, the health crisis has prevented further joint military exercises. National security development has been slowed by the coronavirus, but it is hoped that once the situation eases, it will soon be back to business as usual and back to mutual training. "We are particularly eager to resume our bilateral exercise soon," Sampson added.

One such military operation that has been halted by the virus and will resume this autumn is Exercise Jebel Sahara. It is one of the examples of UK-Moroccan defence cooperation, confirming efforts to improve and confirm the good relationship between the British and Moroccan Armed Forces.

This month-long training brings together the two light infantry armies, around 500 soldiers, several kilometres north of Marrakech. This is a key area for the British Army, as it represents the real-life theatre of war due to the weather conditions and the rock-strewn terrain, which tests the endurance of the British fighters.

The endurance and interoperability of the two nations are tested there. "It's probably a unique and well-established relationship (...) a clear example of what can be achieved through defence cooperation," Charlie Warner, a lieutenant colonel and defence attaché in Morocco, said in 2015.