Morocco and the United States have agreed to renew and extend their military cooperation roadmap through 2036, following the 14th session of the Morocco-US Defense Consultative Committee held in Washington. The updated framework covers defence industry collaboration, cybersecurity, joint military exercises including the annual African Lion drills held on Moroccan soil, and officer training — and notably grants Morocco access to Link 16, a NATO-reserved encrypted tactical communications network. The deepening partnership comes as Morocco plays an increasingly prominent role in US strategic interests, including participation in Donald Trump's Gaza peace council; the country is already the largest buyer of US military equipment on the African continent, with contracts worth $8.5 billion in 2025.