Rabat and Nairobi explore military alliance following Kenya’s stance on the Moroccan Sahara

On May 30, 2025, just days after Kenya opened its embassy in Rabat and officially endorsed Morocco’s autonomy proposal for the Sahara, the two countries began talks to strengthen their military cooperation.

This rapprochement took place during the African Chiefs of Defense Staff Conference held in Nairobi from May 26 to 31, 2025. A high-level delegation from Morocco’s Royal Armed Forces, led by Major General Abdelkrim Nejjar, met with Lieutenant General Charles Muriuki Kahariri, Chief of Kenya Defence Forces.

During the conference, themed “Strengthening African Security: Supporting Unity of Efforts,” mutual interest was expressed in intensifying military collaboration. According to official sources, Lieutenant General Kahariri voiced his desire to elevate cooperation “to the level of aspirations set by the senior leadership of both brotherly countries.”

The Moroccan delegation, sent under the orders of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, Supreme Commander and General Chief of Staff of the Royal Armed Forces, participated in several seminars and roundtables addressing bilateral and regional relations to enhance security and stability across the continent.

Morocco took the opportunity to highlight its contributions to combating terrorism and transnational threats, as well as its commitment to training military personnel from other African countries.

Finally, the delegation reaffirmed the Kingdom of Morocco’s willingness to strengthen South-South military cooperation by intensifying training programs to meet security challenges in Africa, in line with the strategic vision promoted by King Mohammed VI.

This military rapprochement between Kenya and Morocco occurs amid a shift in Kenya’s position on the Moroccan Sahara, indicating a strengthening of bilateral relations between the two countries.