In a context of crisis with Algeria, which severed diplomatic relations and banned military and civilian planes from flying over its airspace, Morocco plans to increase its budget for defense and armaments. It could reach 50 billion dirhams.
The budgets for next year already point to a historic increase in the defense and armaments budget,” said Atalayar, specifying that for the first time, the bar of 50 billion dirhams, that is to say a little less than 5 billion euros, will be crossed. By allocating such a large budget to Defense, King Mohammed VI, Chief of the General Staff of the Royal Armed Forces, intends to further strengthen the Moroccan army to ward off any possible Algerian attack.
With the resumption of diplomatic relations with Israel under the aegis of the United States under Trump, Morocco aims to create a factory to manufacture suicide drones. But in the meantime, the kingdom has already signaled its intention to acquire Israel’s short- and medium-range missile systems, armored vehicles and tanks from Israel in order to bolster its army.
Morocco maintains very good relations with the United States, its privileged partner. According to Joey Hood, the US Under Secretary of State for the Middle East, “Morocco is the only country in Africa with which we have a free trade agreement, and we, as well as our companies, consider Morocco like a gateway to the continent ”. In this sense, the American authorities announced a few days ago the creation of a digital platform (Laayouneconnect.com) intended to promote the Sahara region, recognized as Moroccan territory by the United States under Trump.
