US Senator calls for the transfer of AFRICOM to Morocco

On Mar 20, 2023

Republican Senator Dan Sullivan has proposed moving the headquarters of the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) to Morocco.

Located in Stuttgart, Germany, the headquarters of the US Africa Command (AFRICOM) coordinates all US Army operations in Africa. Given the strategic position of Morocco and the high level of military cooperation between Rabat and Washington, many consider it appropriate that the Kingdom hosts the headquarters. This is the case of US Senator Dan Sullivan, who called for AFRICOM to be headquartered in Morocco, during the hearing of General Michael Langley by the Senate Armed Services Committee on 16 March.

In his speech, the Alaska senator said there was no need to keep the command’s headquarters in Europe. “We don’t know where to put it, so we’re keeping it in Germany,” he said, pointing out that Morocco would be an excellent candidate to house the headquarters.

In the eyes of the Republican senator, Morocco is an impressive strategic ally. “It is one of our oldest allies, I think it’s time that the AFRICOM headquarters be moved somewhere… Why not to Morocco which would be a good candidate,” he pleaded.

For his part, General Langley, who visited Morocco in October 2022, was very vague in his response. He merely said that his team had visited many countries on the continent.

Sullivan’s statement comes a few days after his visit to the Kingdom with a delegation of senators including heavyweights such as Lindsey Graham and Bob Menendez. The latter was received by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Bourita.

Morocco now has strong support within the Senate Armed Forces Committee, after the retirement of James Inhofe who tried, throughout his term, to obstruct military cooperation projects with Morocco.

It should be recalled that it is AFRICOM that oversees major joint exercises with Morocco, including Exercise African Lion which will take place in June 2023. The main planning meeting took place in January in Agadir.