New MoU further cements Israel-Morocco defence ties
IAI President and CEO Boaz Levy (left), Morocco's Minister of Industry and Trade Ryad Mezzour (centre), and IAI Chairman Amir Peretz (right) after signing a new MoU in Rabat. (Photo: IAI)
IAI has agreed with the Moroccan trade and industry ministry to ‘promote dynamic and innovative bilateral economic cooperation in the fields of investment and technology’.
Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and the Moroccan trade and industry ministry signed an MoU in Rabat on 23 March ‘to promote dynamic and innovative bilateral economic cooperation in the fields of investment and technology’.
This partnership is part of the implementation of the Joint Declaration between Morocco and Israel signed on 22 December 2020 in Rabat, IAI added in a 23 March statement.
The two countries signed an MoU for defence cooperation and intelligence-sharing in November 2021, and Shephard reported in December 2021 that warmer diplomatic relations between Israel and Morocco are likely to result in the sale of advanced defence equipment to the North African country.
Shephard Defence Insight notes that Morocco acquired four Elbit Hermes 900 multi-role MALE UAVs in 2021.
One of the features of the Israel-Morocco MoU is a commitment to share technology. Morocco intends not only to expand its UAV fleet (as shown by two deals this year to buy Bayraktar TB2s) but also to grow its domestic production capabilities via technology transfer.
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