US President Joe Biden has passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for the 2022 fiscal year, which includes restrictions on aid and military funding to Morocco, conditional to “the kingdom’s demonstrated the will to finding an acceptable political solution to Western Sahara.”
The clause states that “none of the funds authorized by this Act or otherwise for the Department of Defense for 2022 may be used to support the participation of the military forces of the Kingdom of Morocco in any multilateral exercise administered by the Department of Defense.”
Following the main clause in the bill is a waiver clause, stipulating that the limitation may be disregarded if “the Secretary of Defence submits to the congressional defense committees a written determination and justification” for a waiver, due to its “importance to the national security interests of the United States.”
The bill was initially passed by the US House of Representatives back on December 9, endorsing President Joe Biden’s defense budget request for the year and including the limiting clause.
The $770 billion budget defense bill had been pending presidential approval after it was majoritarian approved by the US Senate this month.
Despite the potential negative outcomes of the clause, military cooperation has remained an essential sector of bilateral cooperation between both countries, and is unlikely to be affected by the clause, as the bill prioritizes “US diplomatic interests as a waiver to the restrictive clause.”
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