MONROVIA – Liberia’s military cooperation with Morocco is moving from diplomatic commitments toward practical capability development, with the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces committing support to the Armed Forces of Liberia’s efforts to establish and operationalize an Air Wing.
The development emerged during an official visit to Morocco by AFL Chief of Staff Major General Davidson F. Forleh, who is leading a Liberian military delegation on a September 6–14, 2026 mission at the invitation of the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces.
The visit is aimed at translating the Liberia-Morocco Military Cooperation Agreement signed in Rabat on October 21, 2025 into concrete programs involving training, exercises, technical assistance, military health and the exchange of military expertise.
Among the most significant outcomes so far is Morocco’s commitment to support the AFL’s efforts to establish and operationalize an Air Wing.
The cooperation will include the training and development of qualified personnel, potentially providing Liberia with an important foundation for developing an indigenous military aviation capability.
During the delegation’s visit to the Royal Moroccan Air Force Inspectorate and Air Transport Base, AFL officials had the opportunity to examine Moroccan aviation and air transport capabilities while discussing areas of professional and technical cooperation.
The Royal College of Higher Military Education also indicated its readiness to provide opportunities for AFL officers at appropriate staff and higher defence education institutions.
The aviation discussions form part of a wider effort by the AFL to strengthen professional military capabilities through partnerships with countries possessing established military institutions and training systems.
But the cooperation is not limited to aviation.
Morocco has also committed to facilitate commando training for an AFL composite company-sized element in Morocco.
The training is expected to expose AFL personnel to advanced individual and collective training, fieldcraft and operational techniques.
For the Liberian military, the opportunity could strengthen specialized skills and improve the readiness of personnel selected for the training.
The Moroccan side has also committed to providing four vehicles, including a command vehicle, along with training aids and selected equipment intended to strengthen AFL training and operational capacity.
These immediate commitments add a practical dimension to the broader military cooperation agreement between the two countries.
The agreement provides for cooperation in military training, exercises, technical assistance, military health and the exchange of experience and expertise.
It also established a Joint Military Commission intended to identify priorities, coordinate implementation and develop a structured framework for cooperation.
The AFL delegation’s visit has already begun identifying areas that could be incorporated into future annual cooperation programs.
On Tuesday, September 8, Major General Forleh held high-level discussions with General of Army Corps Mohammed Berrid, Inspector General of the Royal Armed Forces and Commander of the Southern Zone, at the FAR General Staff Headquarters in Rabat.
The discussions focused on practical arrangements for cooperation in military training, exercises and exchange visits.
The AFL delegation subsequently visited the 1st Parachute Brigade, where officials examined operational training and other aspects of military capability development.
The delegation also visited Mohammed V Military Hospital, opening discussions on another critical component of military readiness, the health and welfare of military personnel.
Major Dr. Albertha Clark, Commander of the AFL Medical Command, briefed the Moroccan side on Liberia’s military health services, including existing institutional capabilities and key challenges.
The discussions identified possible areas for training and exchanges involving military medical personnel, technical cooperation and specialized medical referrals.
The health component is significant because the effectiveness of military capability depends not only on weapons, vehicles and specialized training but also on the ability to maintain the health and operational readiness of personnel.
The AFL delegation is also scheduled to visit the Royal Military Academy in Meknes, the Royal Moroccan Navy Inspectorate, the Royal Moroccan Naval Academy and other naval facilities.
The naval engagements are expected to explore cooperation in maritime security, naval operations, technical training and professional military education, including areas relevant to Liberia’s Coast Guard capabilities.
The Royal Military Academy in Meknes is also expected to provide an avenue for discussions on officer education and training opportunities for AFL personnel.
The range of engagements demonstrates that Liberia’s military cooperation with Morocco is developing across several branches and professional areas rather than being confined to a single training program.
Air capability, commando training, military education, maritime security, military medicine, exercises and equipment support are emerging as interconnected components of the partnership.
At the center of the process is the proposed Joint Military Commission.
The commission is expected to convert the priorities identified during the current visit into annual cooperation programs containing agreed priorities, training quotas, timelines, focal points and responsibilities.
That mechanism could provide the structure needed to move individual commitments into sustained military cooperation.
Major General Forleh is accompanied by Military Assistant Lieutenant Colonel Francis O. Gbodi and AFL Medical Command Commander Major Dr. Albertha Clark.
Liberia’s Ambassador to Morocco, Joseph Johnson, has also participated in the engagements.
The visit is being conducted pursuant to the High Royal Directives of His Majesty King Mohammed VI.
For Liberia, the significance of the mission lies in whether the commitments now emerging from the Morocco visit can be converted into lasting capabilities within the AFL.
The proposed Air Wing, specialized commando training, additional vehicles, professional military education and medical cooperation could collectively strengthen the AFL’s operational readiness and institutional capacity.
The September mission has therefore placed the 2025 Liberia-Morocco military agreement on a more practical footing, with both sides now working toward measurable programs that could shape the AFL’s future capabilities.
