United States Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth praised Morocco as America’s foremost partner on the African continent, and describing the kingdom’s engagement with the African Lion 2026 military exercises as exceptional and enduring. There is no better host for the continent’s largest multinational military exercise, he said.
Speaking by video link during a ceremony held in honor of the countries participating in the 2026 African Lion drills, at the Southern Zone General Staff headquarters in Agadir on Thursday, Hegseth paid tribute to Morocco’s consistent commitment to the annual exercises, now in their 22nd edition. He stressed that African Lion enhances interoperability between participating forces and strengthens collective capacity to counter terrorism and address rapidly evolving security threats across the region.
Hegseth characterized the 2026 edition as a genuine laboratory for innovation, integrating artificial intelligence, robotics, and next-generation digital technologies into multi-domain operational scenarios under real-world conditions. He delivered a pointed message to forces seeking to destabilize the continent, declaring that the collective resolve of partner nations was unshakeable and their capabilities were continuously expanding.
“The message of African Lion 2026 is clear to those who seek to destabilize this continent: our shared resolve is unwavering, our capabilities continue to grow, and we are ready to defend our common interests,” Hegseth said.
Lieutenant General Mohammed Berrid, Inspector General of the Royal Armed Forces and Commander of the Southern Zone, reaffirmed Morocco’s determination to maintain African Lion as a framework for strengthening military preparedness, deepening partnerships, and building collective resilience across the African, Mediterranean, and Atlantic spaces.
General Berrid also noted that 2027 will mark the 250th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Morocco and the United States, lending special symbolic significance to the next edition of the exercises and underlining the enduring depth of a bilateral partnership that remains one of Washington’s most durable on the continent.
General Dagvin Anderson, Commander of the US AFRICOM, described the exercise as the premier joint, multi-domain, multinational exercise in Africa and an unambiguous commitment to a safe and prosperous continent.
“Our shared commitment to a secure and prosperous Africa is not just a promise, but it is a formidable, ready, and unified force that will make it a reality.”
