In Geopolitics Today - Tuesday, November 23rd
Morocco Purchases Air Defence System from Israel and The Waning Influence of the EU in the Balkans
Morocco Purchases Air Defence System from Israel
Morocco has signed a deal to acquire a Skylock Dome anti-drone air defence system from Israel. While Morocco and Israel maintained minimal diplomatic relations throughout the 1990s, relations were formally broken off following violence in Palestine at the turn of the century. Morocco normalised ties with Israel as part of a US-negotiated pact which saw Washington recognise the disputed Western Sahara region as the sovereign territory of Morocco. Since the agreement was made, Morocco has taken concrete steps at boosting its ties with Israel, and the recent purchase of the Skylock Dome air defence system marks the first significant arms deal between the two.
Developed by the Israeli defence firm Skylock Systems, the Dome anti-drone air defence system can reportedly detect, verify, and neutralize unauthorized drones. The system was first unveiled during this year’s International Defense Exhibition and Conference which took place in Abu Dhabi, and is said to have attracted interest from a diverse set of eager buyers. Skylock representatives have echoed this sentiment, and have said that a total of 27 nations have already penned agreements to purchase the anti-drone weapon system. The defence system is speculated to be effective at its designated role, and can provide military forces with broad protection against the growing threat of state-of-the-art drones. Once Rabat acquires the system, it is expected to be deployed to protect the country’s strategic civilian and military facilities.
The confirmation of the sale of this system is not the only way in which ties between Morocco and Israel are warming. The reestablishment of diplomatic ties between the two has allowed for the reopening of economic liaison offices and a resumption of direct commercial flights between the two countries. The Israeli Defense Minister is expected to visit Morocco during the week where he will meet with Moroccan officials to finalize various defence cooperation agreements. As part of these agreements, both countries are aiming to jointly develop advanced munitions, drone manufacturing facilities, and a military base near the city of Melilla. Morocco is pursuing drastic military reforms as part of the government’s 2022 budget, which has designated roughly $13 billion toward the acquisition of new tanks, fighter jets and other heavy weapons systems.
Read more about this story here.
The Waning Influence of the EU in the Balkans
The European Union is unlikely to accept any new member states for the foreseeable future, thereby eroding the weight of its influence over the Balkans. As the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic forces the EU to focus on economic recovery efforts, countries in the Western Balkans are less inclined to undertake the reforms necessary to earn their place in the bloc. This has the effect of eroding the value of EU accession promises which once provided a lucrative incentive to influential political and economic forces operating in the region. Furthermore, non-EU players such as the United States, Russia and China are likely to become more active in the region as they see the European Union's waning presence as an opportunity.
The resignation of North Macedonia's Prime Minister Zoran Zaev was a serious setback for the EU in the region, as Brussels showed little appreciation for the statesman’s EU ambitions by rejecting Skopje's accession negotiations in 2019. The Bosnian Serbs are also starting to question the regional status quo, with regional stakeholders increasingly disillusioned with the reality of EU accession as secessionist voices grow louder. Serbia — perhaps the country in the region least likely to be accepted into the EU — has also largely abandoned its aspirations for accession, with Belgrade deepening ties with Russia and China to the detriment of the EU. Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic has outright conceded that his country would not join the EU unless a resolution is found to its outstanding disputes with Kosovo. In Kosovo’s case, the leadership there has voiced numerous frustrations at the EU regarding a lack of EU-wide recognition of the country. Moreover, Kosovo is deepening ties with the United States and Israel, and therefore growing less reliant on the EU with each passing year.
As the EU military mission to the region appears to be on borrowed time, and with little appetite across the EU to entangle in a region it has long neglected, it is hardly surprising why EU influence in the West Balkans is on a downward trajectory. While the EU remains the dominant trade partner to Balkan countries, Brussels has done little to help Balkan countries deal with the desolate nature of the political and economic situations across the region. Serbia, for instance, has received major support from China and Russia that has helped the country more effectively deal with the ingoing COVID-19 pandemic, a reality the EU has done little to help mitigate. Further erosion of the EU’s influence here is also the result of Russia’s foreign policy moves, Moscow has at numerous times attempted to exploit its historical and cultural ties with the region to challenge EU policies.
Read more about this story here.