UK Defense Senior Advisor to MENA meets Moroccan defense officials

Abdeltif Loudyi, Morocco's Minister Delegate to the Head of Government in charge of National Defense Administration, met with Vice Admiral Edward Ahlgren, the British Defense Senior Advisor to the Middle East and North Africa, on Tuesday at the National Defense Administration headquarters in Rabat.

Accompanied by the British Ambassador to Morocco, the officials discussed regional security issues and explored ways to enhance defense cooperation, focusing on interoperability and the exchange of expertise between their armed forces, according to a statement from Morocco’s General Staff of the Royal Armed Forces (FAR).

During the meeting, Vice Admiral Ahlgren praised the Kingdom's pivotal role in promoting regional peace and stability.

On the same day, Supreme Commander and Chief of General Staff of the Royal Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Mohammed Berrid, Inspector General of the FAR and Commander of the Southern Zone, received Vice Admiral Ahlgren at FAR’s General Staff in Rabat, according to the statement.

Discussions focused on deepening bilateral military ties, especially in training, exchange programs, and organizing combined exercises.

Lieutenant General Berrid reaffirmed Morocco’s commitment to further strengthening military cooperation with the UK and expanding into new areas of mutual interest, such as intelligence, border surveillance, electronic warfare, and cyber defense.

Moroccan-British military relations are governed by the 1993 Framework Agreement on Military and Technical Cooperation, along with technical arrangements emphasizing strategic consultation, training, knowledge exchange, and joint exercises like «Jbel Sahara», «Toubkal», and «African Lion». Bilateral military activities are coordinated through an annual joint commission, alternating between Rabat and London.