Duke Buchan III attended the first Humanitarian Civic Assistance (HCA) activity held in Dakhla as part of the African Lion military exercise,highlighting deepening U.S.-Morocco defense ties and their impact on local communities.
The humanitarian initiative is a core component of African Lion,reflecting joint efforts by the United States and Morocco to enhance their capacity to protect and support civilian populations.
More than 100 U.S. military personnel are working alongside Morocco’s Royal Armed Forces to deliver medical services to over 20,000 patients in Taroudant and Dakhla during this year’s exercise.
The humanitarian action in Dakhla marks the first time such humanitarian activities have been carried out in the region. U.S. and Moroccan medical teams collaborated to provide a range of services,including dental hygiene awareness sessions,distribution of oral care kits for children,and ophthalmological consultations.
The initiative also included the provision of eyeglasses and hygiene kits for schoolchildren.
“For the first time in our historic partnership,African Lion has come to Dakhla,” Buchan said,noting the scale of cooperation between U.S. and Moroccan military medical teams.
The Dakhla mission represents a significant step in expanding the humanitarian dimension of African Lion into southern regions.
Buchan emphasized longstanding bilateral ties,describing the initiative as a reflection of “250 years of friendship” between the two countries. He also reiterated U.S. support for Morocco,framing the exercise as part of broader cooperation spanning security and development.
During his visit to the city,Ambassador Buchan toured the Dakhla Atlantic Port construction site,held a meeting with local authorities,including the Governor of the region,and visited the African Lion 2026 exercise sites in the province — the first time the exercise has formally incorporated Dakhla as an operational zone.
His public statement that the U.S. is “keen” on the trade and investment opportunities created by the deepwater port,combined with the announcement of a future U.S. Consulate in the southern provinces,signals a sustained American commitment to making Dakhla a genuine diplomatic and commercial destination,not merely a symbolic one.
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