During a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing in Washington, several US senators spoke of the deep and strategic partnership between the United States and Morocco. The hearing was held to confirm Duke Buchan III as the new US Ambassador to Morocco. Senators from both major parties noted Morocco’s importance as one of America’s oldest allies and a key partner in Africa and beyond (Read more at Morocco World News).
In his statement made Tuesday at the Senate hearing, Buchan said the U.S. supports Morocco’s serious, credible, and realistic Autonomy Proposal as the ONLY basis for a just and lasting solution to the dispute. “If confirmed, I will facilitate progress toward this goal”, said the U.S. nominee ambassador, citing U.S. call urging the parties to engage in discussions without delay, using Morocco’s Autonomy Proposal as the only framework, to negotiate a mutually acceptable solution (Read more at North Africa Post).
Valued at $260 million, the deal includes the delivery of 612 FGM-148F Javelin missiles and 200 lightweight launch platforms, along with associated training equipment and logistical support. This includes training munitions, technical manuals, spare parts, diagnostic tools, training programmes for gunners and ammunition officers, as well as inspection, maintenance and integration services, and support tailored for tactical aviation and ground munitions (Read more at Arab Weekly).
The U.S. Department of Defense is expected to finalize an agreement for the delivery of 32 F-35 Lightning IIs, at an estimated cost exceeding $17 billion over 45 years, covering both procurement and maintenance. If confirmed, this acquisition would expand the Royal Moroccan Air Force’s inventory, which is currently centered on fourth-generation F-16 aircraft (Read more at Army Recognition).
Under the deal, Egypt will acquire $630 million worth of Lockheed Martin Hellfire missiles, spare parts, and training, alongside $30 million worth of Advanced Precision Kill Weapon Systems (APKWS). Additionally, Egypt will acquire $4.69 billion worth of equipment to support its M1A1 Abrams tank fleet, which it co-produces with the US. Meanwhile, Morocco received approval to purchase 500 GBU-39B Small Diameter Bombs valued at $86 million and $88.4 million worth of AIM-120C-8 air-to-air missiles for its F-16V jets (Read more at Africa.com).
Morocco is set to acquire 500 GBU-39B Small Diameter Bombs (SDB-I) from the United States, marking another significant step in the country’s military modernization efforts. The package also includes two GBU-39 (T-1)/B inert practice bombs with fuze, along with tactical training rounds, support equipment, spare parts, technical data, and personnel training (Read more at Morocco World News).
George Lombardi, senior advisor to former US President Donald Trump, has suggested that a second Trump administration could put a definitive end to the Western Sahara dispute by bringing Algeria and Polisario to negotiate on the terms of a political settlement. This assessment comes nearly four years after the Trump administration’s historic decision in December 2020 to recognize Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara (Read more at Morocco World News).
Considered the biggest such exercise in Africa, African Lion is joined by 7,000 elements of the armed forces from some 20 countries in Africa and countries of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). It added that the exercises includes combined day and night tactical, land, sea and air exercises, a special forces exercise, airborne operations and an operational planning exercise for Task Force staff (Read more at Arab Weekly).
