From September 9 to 20, 2024, members of the Utah National Guard, including soldiers, airmen, firefighters and emergency medical responders, will join forces with their Moroccan counterparts for a major exercise dedicated to disaster management , in the cities of Kenitra, Tangier and Ksar Sghir.
Named Morocco Mantlet, this exercise is at the top of the annual disaster planning and preparedness events in the Kingdom. The result of a year of careful preparation and close collaboration, Maroc Mantlet 2024 brought together the Royal Armed Forces (FAR) and various Moroccan civilian agencies alongside the Utah National Guard.
The training, made up of six distinct training modules, took place within the Relief and Rescue Unit and on the 5th Naval Base, providing a dynamic and operational framework for cooperation.
« Joint U.S.-Moroccan training programs are a crucial part of the close strategic and security partnership between our country and the Kingdom of Morocco “, declared the Ambassador of the United States to Morocco, Puneet Talwar, in a press release.
And to add: “ Morocco Mantlet increases our security and improves our preparedness while strengthening coordination to provide emergency response to natural disasters ».
In addition, Maroc Marlet integrates a multitude of specialist skills, from urban search and rescue to fire control and emergency medical response training. It also includes the management of CBRN incidents with decontamination procedures, as well as water rescue operations using helicopters.
This year’s edition was marked by a simulated major earthquake scenario around the 5th Naval Base. This fictional event orchestrated a series of challenges designed to guide and test the effectiveness of the various training modules.
« The highlight of the exercise was the demonstration of interoperability between the FAR, the General Directorate of Civil Protection, the Ministry of the Interior and other agencies of the Kingdom said Utah Army National Guard Lt. Col. Brady Pollock, deputy commander of the 8th Domestic Response Force.
« The teamwork demonstrated from the earliest stages of planning through training and execution at the simulated disaster site clearly highlighted the progress made through more than a decade of cooperation between the Kingdom of Morocco and the Utah National Guard “, he continued.
Let us recall that the Utah National Guard and the Kingdom of Morocco enjoy a successful collaboration through the State Partnership Program, which paves the way for joint training and missions.
This partnership encompasses civil humanitarian assistance operations and disaster preparedness exercises, such as Morocco Mantlet. Since its launch in 2003, this partnership has established itself as one of the most successful in Africa.
Furthermore, the Morocco engages in more than 100 military interactions with American forces annually. It hosts African Lion, the continent’s largest military exercise, and plays a central role in U.S. international military training and foreign arms sales programs.
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