Morocco joins NATO Interoperability Platform

[mike2000 is back]

Morocco joins NATO Interoperability Platform
By Oscar Nkala, Defense News7:13 a.m. EST March 4, 2016

Alliance Embraces Middle East and North Africa
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NATO has incorporated the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces into its Interoperability Platform. Here, Moroccan military troops parade to celebrate and mark the 60th anniversary of the People and the King's Revolution in Rabat, Morocco's capital, on Aug. 20, 2013.(Photo: Fadel Senna/AFP via Getty Images)

GABORONE, Botswana — The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has incorporated the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces into its Interoperability Platform and stepped up military cooperation and special forces training with Egypt, Tunisia and Mauritania.

Addressing the just-concluded NATO-Morocco Public Diplomacy Seminar held in Rabat, NATO Deputy Secretary General Alexander Vershbow said the new program is aimed at strengthening the defense and security sectors of partners in the Middle East and North Africa.

Vershbow said Morocco's membership of the NATO Interoperability Platform will enable its forces to be trained to standards that will enable them to operate side by side with NATO forces in continuing and upcoming joint regional security initiatives against terrorism and religious extremism.

Further, Vershbow said Morocco's joining of the NATO Interoperability Platform caps a long history of bilateral diplomatic and defense cooperation, which dates back from the Kosovo war to cooperation in the NATO aerial campaign in support of militias who fought the Libyan war in 2011 and the recent airstrikes against the Islamic State group in Iraq.

General Pavel praised the long-standing cooperation between NATO and Morocco in the framework of the Mediterranean Dialogue (Med Dialogue)

Vershbow also lauded Moroccan efforts in support of ongoing diplomatic efforts to resolve the chaotic Libyan civil war, which has since evolved into the new regional training center, safe haven and weapons source for Islamic extremist groups.

The proliferation of these armed groups, weapons and the threats posed by returning militants who fought for ISIS in Syria, Iraq and Libya has prompted a new NATO pivot to confront militancy in the Middle East and North African regions:

"Across the Middle East and North Africa, NATO is working to develop and strengthen the defense and security sectors of our partners. We have worked with Egypt’s military to introduce new mine detection and clearing technology. We are developing a program with Tunisia to train their special forces.

"In Mauritania, NATO is supporting the construction of safe munitions depots and training military personnel as they return to civilian life. And here in Morocco, you have joined NATO’s Interoperability Platform so that our armed forces will be better able to operate side by side," Vershbow said.

He pledged NATO's willingness to continue working with regional partner armies in the areas of training and technical help to support the fight against ISIS and other militant groups in the Middle East and North African regions.

Last month, the NATO alliance deployed navy vessels and aerial assets into the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas to stop human trafficking boats from Africa and the Middle East from making the perilous crossing in search of greener pastures and sanctuary from war and famine in Europe.

Morocco joined the NATO Med Dialogue in 1994. Today, the partnership programme counts seven non-NATO countries of the Mediterranean region: Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia.

http://www.defensenews.com/story/de...4/morocco-nato-military-cooperation/81308052/

Good to see NATO EXPANDING ITS PARTNERS/ZONE OF INFLUENCE

 

[Path-Finder]

I suppose morocco is located on northern side of the Atlantic ocean.

 

[Nattmara]

I suppose morocco is located on northern side of the Atlantic ocean.

They aren't joining NATO, just increasing their partnership. NATO already trains and conducts operations with many central Asian and North African nations.

Even Russia and NATO cooperate, despite Russia being the reason NATO exists. Increasing partnership, training and inter-operability does not mean a nation is joining NATO. See both Sweden and Finland as examples.

*Click the photo to enlarge it, it's hard to read without doing so.

 

[Path-Finder]

They aren't joining NATO, just increasing their partnership. NATO already trains and conducts operations with many central Asian and North African nations.

Even Russia and NATO cooperate, despite Russia being the reason NATO exists. Increasing partnership, training and inter-operability does not mean a nation is joining NATO. See both Sweden and Finland as examples.

*Click the photo to enlarge it, it's hard to read without doing so.

ok

 

[Indus Pakistan]

They aren't joining NATO, just increasing their partnership. NATO already trains and conducts operations with many central Asian and North African nations.

Even Russia and NATO cooperate, despite Russia being the reason NATO exists. Increasing partnership, training and inter-operability does not mean a nation is joining NATO. See both Sweden and Finland as examples.

*Click the photo to enlarge it, it's hard to read without doing so.

There will come day when they will join. Morocco is more "Atlantic" than most of Europe. Marocco and North Africa have historically been part of Roman Empire long before the northern regions of Europe were integrated into the Roman world. This represent the first step in a long process.

 

[Ceylal]

There will come day when they will join. Morocco is more "Atlantic" than most of Europe. Marocco and North Africa have historically been part of Roman Empire long before the northern regions of Europe were integrated into the Roman world. This represent the first step in a long process.

The partnership and the inter-operability with NATO of the southern state of the Mediterranean sea date back in the late 90's , Israel included. They conduct yearly naval exercise in the med to that effect. Morocco is not a member of NATO, nor it will be, it just have a title of a" privileged NATO associate" as well as Tunisia, a honorific title that NATO gives to maleable countries...

 

[Indus Pakistan]

The partnership and the inter-operability with NATO of the southern state of the Mediterranean sea date back in the late 90's , Israel included. They conduct yearly naval exercise in the med to that effect. Morocco is not a member of NATO, nor it will be, it just have a title of a" privileged NATO associate" as well as Tunisia, a honorific title that NATO gives to maleable countries...

NATO is about protecting core Atlantic states from Russian threat. This has been done by including large number of countries between the Atlantic and Russia. Turkey was included as it gives unique advantage of restricting Russian access to the Med., through the Bosphorus and providing ideal platform that threatens the Russian underbelly. In addition it provides a strategic route to Middle East.

However over the next 50 years the emerging threat to the core Atlantic states (USA,UK,Canada,France) will develop from another source. China. As that country makes it's way into Africa it will slowly push it's influence north after having consolidated it presence in Black Africa. This when NATO is going to feel worrried as Chinese influence in North Africa will be direct threat to the soft underbelly of Europe. That would include having control over Straits of Gibralter on the west and Suez in the east.

That's when countries like Marocco will become ripe for membership of NATO North Africa would provide a buffer on the southern Mediteranean against China. All this might not make sense right now but in another 50 years containing Chinese influence will be on top of NATO planners minds.

In 50 years there will be Chinese naval carrier fleets sailing every ocean of the world like USA does today. Therefore you need to take that into account. There already are million Chinese workers in Africa. Military follows trade and investment to secure the latter.