From this Monday through the end of June, Moroccan and United States armed forces will observe and participate in Africa’s largest military drills, known as African Lion 22. The exercises span multiple locations across Morocco and extend into neighboring regions near the Sahara, reflecting a broad cooperative effort between partner nations and allied forces.
Some 7,500 service members from Morocco, the United States, and several allied countries are slated to take part. The drills are set to unfold in various sites and, in addition to Morocco, will involve participation from several partner nations across North and West Africa. It is noted that a few invited partners will not participate in this edition.
In Morocco, the training will occur at sites in Kenitra in the north, as well as Agadir, Tan Tan, and Taroudant in the south. Another key location is Greir Labouhi, a site near the Western Sahara border. This marks the second consecutive year that such venues are used for the exercise, underscoring enduring collaboration between the two nations.
The previous edition of African Lion carried significant political and strategic implications. For the edition held in December 2020, the planning and site selection reflected ongoing dialogue about sovereignty and regional status in relation to the Western Sahara. These debates have influenced how and where maneuvers are conducted and described in official communications.
During the current edition, the United States announced that Greir Labouhi would serve as a primary training area. The site lies approximately fifty kilometers west of the Tindouf camps, an area within what is often described as Algerian territory and associated with regional security dynamics. The site is under the control of regional actors with a long history of involvement in security programs and peacekeeping efforts.
Armed Forces Central Command for Africa, AFRICOM, states that African Lion 22 will feature integrated maneuvers across land, air, and maritime domains, conducted in coordination with adjacent non-traditional defense capabilities. These activities will be supported by synchronized operations intended to enhance chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear defense readiness and decontamination procedures in response to simulated hazards. The intent is to strengthen interoperability among participating forces and improve readiness for a range of potential contingencies.
Experts observing the drill emphasize that African Lion serves as an illustration of ongoing security cooperation between the United States and Morocco, a relationship anchored in modernization plans for national defense equipment. Morocco has pursued a substantial modernization roadmap in recent years, with both French and American suppliers playing prominent roles in updating fleets, systems, and training practices. The exercises are viewed in many analyses as a platform to showcase combined capabilities, share best practices, and build mutual confidence among partners in the region.
Overall, African Lion 22 stands as a coordinated effort aimed at advancing joint readiness, regional stability, and the exchange of technical expertise. The exercise schedule and venue choices reflect the partners’ focus on practical, real-world cooperation while addressing evolving security considerations across North Africa and the broader Atlantic arena. Marked discussions around air, land, and sea operations point to a deliberate strategy of enhancing multi-domain coordination among allied forces and the broader defense community.