Morocco comes as top client for French weaponry in Maghreb region

Morocco has purchased more French weapons than any other country in the Maghreb region in the last four years, Moroccan local media reported on Saturday.

According to figures released by the daily Akhbar Al Yaoum, Morocco spent 824 million U.S. dollars from 2010 to 2014 on French weapons.

Morocco comes ahead of neighboring Algeria, which spent only 282 million dollars during the same period.

Among the most important Moroccan acquisitions from the French defense industry is certainly the frigate Fremm Mohammed VI, purchased in January for 513 million dollars.

Morocco also ranks among the top ten Arab customers of the French defense industry, alongside Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Egypt.

While France remains one of Morocco's most important arms suppliers, the country made efforts to diversify its sources.

According to Swedish think tank Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Morocco also imports weapons from other countries, mainly the United States (35 percent), the Netherlands (18 percent), and China (11 percent).

Enjoying well-equipped and trained ground troops, Morocco has engaged in recent years in modernizing its air and navy fleet.