French prime minister’s high-level visit to Morocco strengthens ties

French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu arrived in Rabat on Wednesday evening, greeted by his Moroccan counterpart Aziz Akhannouch. The visit marks a pivotal step in deepening France-Morocco relations ahead of an anticipated state visit by King Mohammed VI to Paris.

The high-level delegation, including twelve ministers, was formally welcomed at the airport around 10 p.m. by the Moroccan Prime Minister and key members of his cabinet. Earlier in the day, Lecornu had traveled from Qatar, where he conveyed France’s condolences following the passing of the former Emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. Aziz Akhannouch had similarly attended the funeral in Doha to represent Morocco.

Franco-Moroccan relations have significantly warmed since France, under President Emmanuel Macron, recognized Morocco’s sovereignty over the disputed Western Sahara territory in the summer of 2024. This decision strained relations with Algeria, which opposed the move. In October 2024, Macron received a grand welcome during his official visit to Rabat, concluding a three-year period of diplomatic tension. The visit culminated in the signing of numerous agreements and the establishment of an “exceptional enhanced partnership.”

In a message marking France’s Bastille Day on July 14, King Mohammed VI highlighted the “strengthening” of “privileged relations” between the two nations, as reported by Morocco’s official news agency MAP. The partnership could soon lead to an official visit by the Moroccan monarch to France, with dates still to be finalized.

Strategic agreements and bilateral cooperation

The two prime ministers will begin Thursday’s agenda with a visit to the royal mausoleum, followed by a bilateral meeting where each minister will hold discussions with their Moroccan counterpart. The highlight of the visit will be the fifteenth “high-level meeting” between their delegations—a dialogue platform that has not convened since 2019. This session is expected to yield around fifteen agreements spanning economic, security, migration, and defense sectors, according to diplomatic sources.

Key areas of cooperation include civil aviation, the development of a Regional Express Rail (RER) line in Rabat, water management initiatives, and an electricity interconnection project between the two countries. In defense, discussions are underway regarding potential armament partnerships. Culturally, a strategic partnership agreement is set to be signed between the Arab World Institute in Paris and Morocco’s Ministry of Culture.

Morocco has emerged as France’s top diplomatic priority in the Maghreb, with Paris shifting its focus away from maintaining a balanced relationship with Algeria. On the Sahel security front, France appears increasingly reliant on Morocco as a partner, particularly as Algeria remains hesitant to share intelligence despite the recent resumption of Franco-Algerian cooperation.