Already one of the biggest arms importers in Africa, Morocco has multiplied contacts with international partners to develop its own military industry in a bid to curb imports and boost independence as well as ensure technology transfer. Morocco will own 10% of the capital of the plant, to be achieved for a total cost of 300 million dirhams. Morocco and Algeria were ranked by SIPRI as Africa’s largest arm buyers taking 26% and 30% respectively of total arm sales on the continent. Last month, Morocco and Brazil signed a deal to share military technology, reflecting Morocco’s ambition to reduce the country’s dependence on foreign arms after the country signed similar deals with Spain and the UK. Morocco’s decision to foster its domestic military industry capabilities comes at a moment marked by a surge of instability in North Africa and an arms race with Algeria that shows no signs of abatement.

Source: The North Africa Journal July 07, 2019 23:03 UTC