Morocco officially restarts compulsory military service
Morocco on 7 February 2019 officially restored compulsory military service, despite complaints from some young people in the North African country.
King Mohammed VI gave ‘instructions that 10,000 conscripts be called to military service in the current year, before bringing this figure to 15,000 in the next year,’ a cabinet statement carried by the MAP agency said.
Moroccans aged between 19 and 25 are set to be called up for one year, according to the legislation that was unveiled in August, some 12 years after conscription was abolished. The first conscripts will be enrolled in Autumn 2019, government spokesman Mustapha Khalfi said.
Draft dodgers face penalties ranging from one month to a year in prison, but exemptions will be made for those who do not meet physical standards and for university students. Military service will be optional for women and dual nationals.
Conscripts will be paid between 1,050 dirhams ($108) and 2,000 dirhams net per month, according to Khalfi.
Moroccans are divided over the return of military service - some view it as gainful employment for youths left behind by development, others as a tool to blunt protest movements. The palace said its goal is to improve ‘integration in professional and social life’ for young people and boost their sense of citizenship.
You may also like
More from Defence Notes
-
![Patria OPTIME and ILIAS: Orchestrating operational readiness across every domain]()
Patria OPTIME and ILIAS: Orchestrating operational readiness across every domain
Patria OPTIME is a sustainment concept that integrates MRO and lifecycle services into one solution, powered by the ILIAS digital defence platform
-
![US military seeks common controllers for drones and robotic systems]()
US military seeks common controllers for drones and robotic systems
US Air Force, Army, Marine Corps and Special Operations Command initiatives signal demand for interoperable uncrewed systems control, creating opportunities for suppliers of hardware, software and integration services.
-
![“Start planning much earlier”: delivering defence support in an era of disruption]()
“Start planning much earlier”: delivering defence support in an era of disruption
In Conversation… The geopolitical landscape is increasingly uncertain, with the UK and its allies confronting the most unpredictable international environment for decades. To adapt, defence readiness must begin long before assets reach the front line, forging a resilient support enterprise that can thrive in a time of ongoing disruption, argue the partners of Team ORION.
-
![“Communicating at mission speed”: why data security is essential for operational success]()
“Communicating at mission speed”: why data security is essential for operational success
In conversation… Everfox’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Dave Wajsgras and Managing Director, International, Colin McKinty discuss the critical importance of information security in defence, minimising insider risk and the company’s international growth strategy with Shephard’s Andrew White.
-
![“Engage with the operational problem”: how software innovation can boost UK defence]()
“Engage with the operational problem”: how software innovation can boost UK defence
In Conversation… Shephard’s Andrew White talks to Zafer Şen, CEO and co-founder of OBSS, about the future of command-and-control software in the age of artificial intelligence, and his company’s ambitions in the UK defence market.
