In the framework of the 5+5 Dialogue, the 18th meeting of the 5+5 Defence Initiative took place in Rabat, Morocco, on December 16, 2022.
Under the Moroccan presidency, the defence ministers of nine of the ten member states of this Dialogue (Morocco, Tunisia, Libya, Mauritania, Spain, Portugal, France, Italy and Malta) met to assess the activities that were carried out in 2022, as well as to agree on an action plan for the following year, under the framework of the Portuguese presidency.
The meeting was presented as an opportunity to exchange different perspectives on the most pressing threats that the Western Mediterranean is facing.
Abdellatif Loudiyi, who represented the Moroccan presidency, highlighted the country’s efforts to increase cooperation in key defence sectors, such as aerial surveillance, maritime security, risk management, and interoperability among the different security forces. Defence ministers expressed their gratitude towards the work carried out by the Moroccan presidency for coordinating the work to positively contributing to the stability and reinforcement of cooperation in the region.
The forum also stressed the need to continue strengthening cooperation in the defence sector, as well as its need to widen its scope to adapt it to emerging challenges. Some of these concerns are related to climate change risks, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity.
The action plan approved for 2023 proves to be more ambitious, with an increase of 20% in its yearly activities compared to the 2022.