Morocco-United States: a rapidly changing geopolitical and economic alliance

Bilateral relations between the Kingdom of Morocco and the United States of America are going through an unprecedented era of consolidation. “Rooted in a historic treaty of friendship dating back to 1786, this strategic partnership today revolves around three fundamental pillars: strengthened military cooperation, dynamic economic integration and firm American diplomatic support for Moroccan sovereignty over the Sahara,” indicates the daily Al Ahdath Al Maghribia in its edition of Friday June 12.

Military and security cooperation constitutes one of the major foundations of the alliance between Rabat and Washington. It is illustrated in a concrete way by strategic defense agreements, contracts for the delivery of cutting-edge weapons and the organization of large-scale joint exercises. Recently, this dynamic was formalized by a ten-year roadmap extending until 2030, aiming to modernize the Moroccan armed forces and strengthen interoperability between the two nations.

Morocco thus establishes itself as a key partner of American defense in North Africa. The most obvious expression of this synergy is the annual African Lion exercise, the largest military exercise on the African continent, co-organized by Morocco and the US Africa Command. Added to this are regular joint military commissions responsible for coordinating the fight against terrorism and securing regional borders.

“On the industrial level, arms transactions amount to billions of dollars, including the acquisition by Morocco of the latest generation F-16 fighters, Patriot air defense systems and heavy armored tanks, consolidating its position as a regional military power,” writes Al Ahdath Al Maghribia.

On the macroeconomic level, the Free Trade Agreement, which entered into force in 2006, serves as a major catalyst. In two decades, the volume of bilateral trade has more than tripled, exceeding the mark of 7.2 billion dollars. This agreement not only stimulates trade flows, but it also encourages massive American direct investments in strategic sectors such as automobiles, aeronautics, renewable energies and technologies. At the same time, cooperation extends to human and sectoral development through mechanisms such as the Millennium Challenge Corporation and the American Prosper Africa initiative.

“These programs aim to modernize the Moroccan productive fabric, optimize education and training in line with the job market and encourage female and youth entrepreneurship, actively supporting the transition to an economy with high added value,” explain Al Ahdath Al Maghribia.

American diplomatic positioning experienced a major historic turning point on December 10, 2020, with a presidential proclamation officially recognizing the full sovereignty of Morocco over the entire territory of the Sahara. Washington considers the autonomy plan proposed by Morocco as the only serious, realistic and credible basis for achieving a just and lasting solution to this regional dispute.

This support is not limited to policy statements. It is materialized on the ground through the commitment of American financing institutions, notably the International Development Finance Corporation. A substantial financial package of nearly $5 billion has been planned to support large-scale development projects in the southern provinces, positioning the Moroccan Sahara as a leading logistical and economic hub for sub-Saharan Africa.

This modern alliance draws its legitimacy from a unique historical depth, since Morocco was the first country in the world to recognize the independence of the United States in 1777. Since then, the two countries have maintained exemplary diplomatic continuity, going through together the major world conflicts and geopolitical mutations of the 20th century. Today, faced with new global security challenges and the need to stabilize the Sahelo-Saharan zone, the Rabat-Washington axis is reinventing itself. It goes beyond the framework of a simple bilateral treaty to assert itself as a global, strategic and mutually beneficial alliance for the future of the region and the African continent.