Urdu Point
Mohammad Ali
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his Moroccan counterpart Nasser Bourita explored the creation of a joint security platform to protect against a resurgence of the Islamic State and a lasting defeat of al Qaeda terror groups (both banned in Russia), according to a Department of State readout of their meeting on Tuesday.
“The Minister and the Secretary agreed to sustain cooperation to advance shared interests in regional stability and to defeat terrorist groups including AQIM [al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb] and ISIS [Islamic State],” the readout said.
The two officials also “discussed joint efforts to combat terrorism in Africa, and in particular to secure the enduring defeat of ISIS [Islamic State], by enhancing the capacity of security services in the region, including through a joint platform for security cooperation,” the readout added.
In addition, they welcomed the “African Lion,” “Lightning Handshake” and “Epic Guardian” joint military exercises and discussed ways to further deepen military cooperation between the United States and Morocco at the strategic policy level, the readout said.
Pompeo and Bourita discussed the danger posed by Iran and its proxies and discussed cooperative efforts to halt the spread Iranian influence in the region, the readout said.
US-Morocco economic, political and security ties have expanded during the past three US administrations, with a free trade agreement, an anti-terrorism partnership and Washington‘s recognition of Morocco as a non-NATO ally, according to a Moroccan Foreign Affairs Ministry.
