Pompeo, Moroccan FM discuss joint efforts to combat terrorism in Africa

WASHINGTON, Oct 22 (KUNA) -- US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his Moroccan counterpart Nasser Bourita discussed Tuesday a wide range of issues, including efforts to combat terrorism in Africa and the "danger posed by Iran." A Joint Communique on US-Morocco Strategic Dialogue noted that Pompeo expressed appreciation for King Mohammed VI's "continuous and valuable support on issues of common interest such as peace in the Middle East, Africa's stability and development, as well as regional security." Pompeo and Bourita "welcomed the holding of the "African Lion," "Lightning Handshake" and "Epic Guardian" joint military exercises and discussed ways to further deepen the excellent military cooperation at the strategic policy level." They agreed to "sustain cooperation to advance shared interests in regional stability and to defeat terrorist groups including AQIM and (IS), during which Pompeo thanked Morocco "for its ongoing leadership of the Global Counterterrorism Forum and for its sustaining role in the Global Coalition to Defeat (IS)." They also discussed joint efforts to combat terrorism in Africa, in particular "to secure the enduring defeat of (IS) by enhancing the capacity of security services in the region, including through a joint platform for security cooperation." Pompeo and his Moroccan counterpart also discussed "the danger posed by Iran and its proxies and discussed cooperative efforts to combat attempts to spread Iranian influence in the region including in North West Africa." Furthermore, both sides reiterated "their commitment to a closer economic partnership and to developing innovative ways to maximize the US-Morocco Free Trade Agreement." (end) si