This delegation was hosted to coordinate the upcoming Regional Exercise (REGEX) 2022. The NATO delegation included a comprehensive range of representation from across the NATO enterprise to include: the International Staff, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, Joint Force Command Naples, Allied Maritime Command, NATO Special Operations Headquarters, and the NATO Contact Point Embassy (Belgium) in Morocco.
During these meetings, Colonel Francois Marechal, Joint Forces Command Naples, met with Colonel Abdelkarim Aboulghit from the 3rd Bureau of General Headquarters of the Moroccan Army (MAR).
MAR is a very effective and reliable Mediterranean Dialogue country partner: it proved already in a large number of NATO-led operations such as KFOR (Kosovo Force), IFOR (Implementation Force), SFOR (Stabilization Force), Operation Active Endeavour and now with the status of Potential Operational Partner in Operation Sea Guardian (OSG), the involvement in the Operational Capabilities Concept Evaluation & Feedback (OCC E&F) program and the agreement to host REGEX22. This is a strong sign in terms of cooperation and a real boost to expand activities with NATO
Said Marechal.
NATO delegation was hosted by Moroccan Army (MAR) Officials at their General Headquarters September 15 to 17, 2021
The aim of the Expert Staff Meeting was to review military cooperation goals and objectives, provide information exchanges, develop greater synchronized collaborations, and facilitate understanding.
Moroccan Royal Armed Forces has a new Individual Partnership Cooperation Plan (IPCP) 2020 and a new Direction and Guidance for Military Cooperation (MC D&G) 2021. Both of these political and military documents are laying the foundations for the military partnership with NATO and defining the directions and priorities chosen by MAR and NATO.
The primary focus is on cooperation on counter-terrorism, border security, small arms and light weapons, cyber security, and cyber defense.
The coordination meeting for REGEX 22 was conducted in two days. During the first day, Morocco and NATO agreed on the purpose of the exercise as well as on the support requirements and calendar to resume REGEX. The second day was dedicated to visit the Collège Royale d'Enseignement Militaire Supérieur (Moroccan War College) where the Moroccan delegation displayed the advanced capabilities of the Joint Conflict and Tactical Simulation (JCATS) and its associated facilities to support REGEX 22. As a result of this coordination meeting, Morocco and NATO delegation agreed to resume this exercise starting in January 2022 with Workshop 1 and finishing with Workshop 6 with the execution phase in November 2022. A high level of cooperation was shown by Morocco in support REGEX 22.
To conclude, these meetings have once again come out in a frank and open atmosphere and the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces have demonstrated and confirmed their ambitions regarding the military partnership with NATO.