US and Morocco agree to create military training center in Moroccan territory

Morocco and the United States have signed a memorandum to establish the 'African Center for Multidomain Training and Experimentation,' a joint military training facility to be located in Tan-Tan, southern Morocco. This initiative marks a significant step in consolidating bilateral cooperation. The agreement, signed at the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany, outlines a facility designed to prepare forces for diverse operational environments. It will include a multidomain training area, a drone academy for counter-terrorism training of Moroccan and African personnel, and an innovation and experimentation center to foster academic collaboration. Expected to become operational in 2030, the center aims to provide "low-cost opportunities" for industries in both countries to conduct technological testing and experimentation. It will serve as a "testbed" for future wireless and sensor technologies, ensuring that U.S. innovation investments translate into operational capabilities that protect both nations and promote joint industrial growth. The upcoming 'African Lion' military exercise in 2027, Africa's largest annual military exercise held in various Moroccan locations, will serve as a trial run before the center's full operational launch. "Morocco's readiness, demonstrated by our existing facilities and highly qualified personnel, ensures rapid advancement from concept to operational reality and offers Morocco's and the United States' industries a reliable and capable partner for joint innovation and export opportunities," stated Mohamed Berrid, Inspector General of the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces and Commander of the Southern Zone. U.S. Africa Command Commander General Dagvin Anderson added that the initiative "will increase the level of readiness and strengthen the capabilities of both nations."