Morocco and Pakistan on Tuesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on defence cooperation in the Moroccan capital, Rabat, in a move aimed at strengthening their military partnership and expanding coordination between the two countries amid growing regional and international security challenges.
The MoU was signed during a three-day working visit to Morocco by Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Defence, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, who is leading a high-level delegation as part of efforts to reinforce and diversify bilateral cooperation between Rabat and Islamabad.
According to an official Moroccan statement, the Pakistani defence minister was received by Morocco’s Minister Delegate to the Head of Government in charge of the National Defence Administration, Abdellatif Loudyi. The talks focused on ways to enhance military cooperation and deepen the strategic partnership between the two countries.
The signing ceremony was attended by the Inspector General of the Royal Armed Forces and Commander of the Southern Zone, Lieutenant General Mohamed Berrid, as well as the Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to Rabat.
The MoU covers several areas of cooperation, including military training, joint drills and exercises, and cybersecurity, at a time when digital threats targeting defence and military infrastructure are increasingly prominent.
The agreement also opens new prospects for cooperation in the defence industry, enabling the exchange of technical expertise and the strengthening of manufacturing capabilities. It further includes cooperation in military health and the exchange of experience and know-how between the two armed forces.
In addition, the MoU provides for the establishment of a joint monitoring and coordination mechanism to ensure the effective implementation of agreed activities and to translate the agreement’s provisions into concrete cooperation programmes on the ground.
During the meeting, both sides underlined the importance of the Morocco–Pakistan partnership and reviewed existing areas of military cooperation, stressing the need to further develop them in line with the interests of both countries and shared challenges.
The discussions also highlighted Morocco’s role in South–South cooperation and regional integration initiatives led by King Mohammed VI, which have contributed to consolidating the Kingdom’s position as a key regional actor in stability and security.
In this context, the two sides affirmed that strengthening strategic partnerships between Morocco and Pakistan falls within a broader vision of South–South cooperation based on exchanging expertise and building joint capacities to support development and stability in both countries.
The agreement comes within the framework of long-standing friendly relations between Rabat and Islamabad, which in recent years have included official visits, military training programmes, and coordination on issues of mutual interest.
It also coincides with Morocco’s ongoing efforts to diversify its defence and strategic partnerships and engage with new partners beyond its traditional allies, as part of an approach focused on enhancing defence sovereignty and building advanced national capabilities.
