On Tuesday in Rabat, Morocco and the United States signed a roadmap for military cooperation, outlining the implementation of initiatives identified at the 13th session of the Moroccan-American Defense Consultative Committee (DCC). The signing ceremony concluded the DCC's two-day working meeting at the Royal Armed Forces (FAR) General Staff headquarters. King Mohammed VI, Supreme Commander and Chief of the General Staff of the FAR, awarded decorations to three American officers in recognition of their contributions to strengthening Moroccan-American military cooperation. The awardees were Major General Daniel Boyack, Commander of the Utah State National Guard; Lt-Colonel Teremura Shamel, Head of the Office of Security Cooperation (OSC) at the US Embassy in Rabat; and Major Christopher Tarbet, in charge of bilateral affairs at the same office. Earlier on Monday, Lieutenant General Celeste Wallander, FAR Inspector General and Commander of the Southern Zone, received US Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, Dr. Celeste Wallander, at the FAR General Staff headquarters. Dr. Wallander was accompanied by a large military delegation during her working visit to Morocco from May 17 to 22. The DCC meeting serves as a forum for strategic dialogue on crucial regional security issues. It also outlines future action plans for collaboration with AFRICOM, the Utah State National Guard, and capability development projects managed by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA).
