The UK plans to invest in Morocco's defense sector, aligning with its support for Morocco's autonomy plan for the Sahara. Agreements are expected in the coming days with ADS Group and BAE Systems, bolstering Morocco's efforts to develop a local defense industry. The United Kingdom is planning to invest in Morocco's defense industry, a move announced as UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy voiced London's recent support for Morocco's autonomy plan for the Sahara. While in Rabat on June 2, Lammy and Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita signed several agreements to deepen cooperation between the two kingdoms. A joint statement released the same day also announced the upcoming signing of a series of defense sector agreements. Among these is a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the UK defense and security trade association ADS Group—representing the aerospace, defense, security, and space industries in the United Kingdom—and the Moroccan Agency for Investment and Export Development. The agreement aims to strengthen links between the defense industries of both countries, the statement reads. Another MoU will be signed between British multinational BAE Systems, the National Defense Administration of Morocco, and the Moroccan Agency for Investment and Export Development. This agreement focuses on investment and the development of capabilities within the defense sector, the same document stresses. These announcements mark a significant milestone for Morocco, which aspires to develop a local defense industry, offering promising opportunities for major investors in the field. The UK could be one of the first Western countries to formalize such cooperation with Morocco. For a local defense industry Morocco has already signed major players for a local defense industry. In September 2024, Tata Advanced Systems signed a strategic partnership with Morocco's National Defense Administration to establish a plant in Casablanca for the local production of WhAP 8×8 armored combat vehicles. In January 2025, Moroccan authorities also secured a deal with Turkish defense producer Baykar, which announced the creation of a subsidiary named Atlas Defense in Rabat. The facility will design, produce, and maintain unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), including models like the Bayraktar TB2 and Akıncı. Morocco has also partnered with Israeli firm BlueBird Aero Systems to establish a drone factory. Although construction began in April 2024, the project has faced delays due to the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Back in 2023, Israel's Elbit Systems announced plans to establish two military equipment factories in Morocco, with one potentially located in Casablanca. Most recently, Brazilian aerospace manufacturer Embraer also pledged to invest in Morocco's aerospace sector, including plans to establish a maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facility. This initiative aims to enhance Morocco's aerospace infrastructure and support the Royal Air Maroc's fleet expansion. It is worth noting that Morocco laid the groundwork for its defense industry with Law 10.20, published in the Official Bulletin on August 4, 2020. This legal framework establishes the foundation for developing a domestic defense manufacturing sector, providing regulation and oversight for the production, trade, and management of defense and security equipment.
