Rabat – As part of the “5+5 Defence” initiative, whose rotating presidency for the year 2012 is held by Morocco, the fourth meeting of the chiefs of staff of the member countries of the Initiative was held, Wednesday, at the headquarters of the General Staff of the Royal Armed Forces in Rabat.
During the meeting, the chair presented the Intitiative’s results in 2012 and the forecasts for 2013, and each member gave an overview of their contribution to the Initiative, with open discussions on the evolution of the Initiative, a statement of the General Inspectorate of the FAR General Staff said.
On HM King Mohammed VI’s instructions, the meeting was chaired by the army corps General Abdelaziz Bennani, FAR Inspector General and Commander of the Southern Zone, the source added.
Launched in 2004, the Initiative groups five European countries: France, Italy, Malta, Portugal and Spain, and the five Maghreb states: Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia.
It aims at taking into account, in a common way, the security problems in the area of the western Mediterranean, the fight against terrorism and against all kinds of trafficking, maritime surveillance and security, aviation security, and the protection of civilians during major disasters, in addition to training and research.
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