In a major step forward for regional security cooperation, the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces (FAR) and the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) have signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a joint, multi-domain training and testing center in Morocco.
Signed on Monday, July 13, 2026, at the AFRICOM headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany, the agreement marks a significant milestone in the defense relationship between the two nations.
The agreement was finalized during an official working visit to Germany by Lieutenant General Mohammed Berrid, Inspector General of the FAR and Commander of Morocco’s Southern Zone. Acting under the instructions of King Mohammed VI, Supreme Commander and Chief of General Staff of the FAR, Lieutenant General Berrid led a high-level military delegation to meet with General Dagvin Anderson, Commander of US AFRICOM. Following bilateral discussions to review various dimensions of their security cooperation, the two military leaders signed the historic MoU.
This upcoming center of excellence is designed to serve as a premier training, testing, and experimentation hub not only for Moroccan and American forces but also for partner nations across the African continent. By driving defense innovation, the facility aims to enhance the operational readiness and joint interoperability of participating militaries, better equipping them to counter shared threats and safeguard regional stability.
The establishment of this multi-domain facility is a direct outcome of the ten-year Roadmap for Defense Cooperation (2026–2036), which was signed between the Kingdom of Morocco and the United States in Washington on April 16, 2026. This latest agreement reinforces Morocco’s growing role as a pivotal regional security leader and underscores the deep, historic defense ties between the Moroccan and US militaries.
AK/Sf/lb/abj/APA