French Prime Minister arrives in Rabat to strengthen bilateral cooperation
The French Prime Minister, Sébastien Lecornu, landed in Rabat on Wednesday evening for an official two-day visit aimed at deepening ties with Morocco. The trip follows a period of renewed diplomatic engagement between Paris and Rabat, marked by France’s 2024 recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty over the Western Sahara.
High-level discussions and strategic partnerships
Lecornu was received by Morocco’s Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch, and the two leaders are set to hold bilateral talks before co-chairing the 15th High-Level Franco-Moroccan Meeting—the first such gathering since 2019. This forum serves as a key platform for advancing economic, security, and cultural collaborations.
Key agreements on the agenda
Among the expected outcomes of the visit are the signing of around fifteen agreements covering critical sectors such as:
- Civil aviation and infrastructure development
- Water resource management and electric interconnection
- Defense cooperation and cultural exchanges
- A strategic partnership between the Arab World Institute in Paris and Morocco’s Ministry of Culture
These initiatives are expected to lay the groundwork for a future state visit by King Mohammed VI to France, a visit already confirmed in principle.
France’s strategic focus on Morocco
The visit underscores Paris’s determination to strengthen its partnership with Rabat, particularly in the areas of security and economic cooperation. With ongoing challenges in the Sahel, France is increasingly looking to Morocco as a key ally in the region, even as its relations with Algeria remain complex.
