In a speech delivered on his behalf by Brigadier General Mohamed Haial, on the occasion of the opening of the 35th meeting of the Steering Committee of the 5 + 5 Defense Initiative, Lieutenant General stressed that the FAR will spare no effort for the success of activities included in the action plans jointly agreed, to consolidate the spirit of cooperation that underlies the Initiative.
It is only through the synergy of efforts that “we could contribute to anticipate together” the security issues and potential transnational risks in our geographical space, explained Lieutenant General Belkhir El Farouk.
The holding of this meeting, organized under the High Instructions of His Majesty the King, Supreme Leader and Chief of General Staff of the Royal Armed Forces, reaffirms the strong attachment of the Kingdom of Morocco to the spirit and founding principles of this Initiative, as well as its sincere commitment to contribute to peace and security efforts in the Western Mediterranean, he said.
The Lieutenant General, Inspector General of the FAR has also taken this opportunity to commend the efforts of all member countries that actively contribute to the dynamism of this Initiative which is a privileged space for dialogue, mutual trust, reflection and sharing of experience in security and defense and promotes synergies between the armies of both shores of the Mediterranean.
The regional context is characterized by “multiple threats and challenges that weigh on our space” and are related to terrorism, illegal immigration, cybercrime, trafficking of all kinds, pandemics and instability in the Sahel, he said, noting that these are further amplified by the impact of climate change and the repercussions of the war between Russia and Ukraine, particularly in terms of energy and food.
This situation “calls us to further coordinate our action to perpetuate the 5 + 5 Defense Initiative,” through the consolidation of cooperation and synergy of efforts to achieve the desired objectives, said Lieutenant General Belkhir El Farouk.
Thanks to the determination of its members and in order to adapt to the evolution of security challenges, he stressed, the initiative is part of a process of continuous and progressive evolution through the increase in the number of its activities, the expansion of cooperation to new areas, such as cyber defense, special forces, drones, and diversification of projects adopted.
Referring to the 2022 Action Plan, approved at the 17th Meeting of Ministers of Defense, held on December 16, 2021, Lieutenant General, Inspector General of the FAR highlighted the activities of the Kingdom of Morocco, noting that they have been conducted in accordance with the established schedule.
Regarding the 2023 Action Plan, Lieutenant General Belkhir El Farouk said that the FAR intends to organize, in accordance with the High Instructions of His Majesty The King, Supreme Leader and Chief of General Staff of the Royal Armed Forces and following the example of their contribution to the 2022 Action Plan, seven cooperation activities, including a search and rescue exercise, two training modules, as well as three seminars and a meeting of the naval coordination group.
This contribution reflects Morocco’s commitment to this Initiative, as well as its commitment to its objectives, “as a fundamental pillar for cooperation between the armies of our respective countries,” he stressed.
