Morocco Strengthens Its Presence in Africa with Military Cooperation Agreements

23rd March 2025

3 minutes read

Morocco Strengthens Its Presence in Africa with Military Cooperation Agreements

Morocco and Cameroon have signed a cooperation agreement in the fields of training, military exercises, and technical assistance, about a month after concluding a similar agreement with Mali.

This week, Morocco signed a military cooperation agreement with Cameroon, following a similar agreement with Mali a month earlier. This suggests that Rabat is seeking to expand its influence in this sector, particularly after establishing itself as a rising military power playing a key role in countering security threats and maintaining stability in a volatile region.

Observers believe that this agreement is part of Morocco’s strategy to enhance the readiness of armed forces in West Africa and the Sahel-Sahara region to tackle security challenges. Morocco places great importance on the security of this region, which it considers vital within the framework of its deep-rooted commitment to Africa.

These agreements, which include training, intelligence cooperation, and military expertise exchange, allow African nations to benefit from Morocco’s experience in developing its army, training personnel, and equipping its forces with advanced weaponry. Moreover, Morocco is steadily working towards establishing a domestic defense industry to achieve self-sufficiency.

On Tuesday, Cameroonian Minister Delegate at the Presidency in charge of Defense, Joseph Beti Assomo, led a high-level delegation on a visit to Morocco, during which a cooperation agreement was signed in the fields of training, military exercises, health, and technical assistance, according to the Maghreb Arab Press Agency (MAP).

The Cameroonian minister emphasized that his country highly values its partnership with Morocco, praising South-South cooperation initiatives and regional programs for Africa launched under the leadership of King Mohammed VI.

Morocco and Mali had previously signed a military cooperation agreement on February 17, following a joint military commission meeting. This included a comprehensive action plan to strengthen ties and expand strategic cooperation in security and defense.

These agreements reflect Morocco’s belief that addressing the economic and social crises of African nations and improving the well-being of their populations require first ensuring security and stability, particularly by combating terrorist threats.

Over the years, Morocco has strengthened partnerships with African nations as part of its commitment to driving regional development. It has also been at the forefront of providing aid to countries facing economic and social crises, either through bilateral cooperation programs or financial assistance.

At the 2014 Africa-Europe Summit in Brussels, King Mohammed VI stressed that “security and stability are a central priority,” asserting that “our partnership is now an integral part of the various strategies adopted at local, regional, and international levels to create added value and contribute to peace, in full respect of each country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

Analysts, including Said Berkanan, suggest that “Morocco’s military cooperation efforts send a strong message to global powers and other African nations, such as Nigeria and South Africa, that West Africa and the Sahel must be supported both economically and in terms of security” .

Morocco is advocating for military alliances to collectively address Africa’s security threats, believing that a lack of cooperation and individual action have hindered the region’s development.