Morocco and France consolidate their strategic partnership
- Political and Strategic Convergence
- The Human Dimension: A Pillar of the Moroccan-French Partnership
- A New Level of Engagement in the Bilateral Relationship
- Agreements Signed
Moroccan Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch stated that “the proceedings of this 15th high-level meeting between Rabat and Paris come at a decisive moment in the journey both countries have been on since October 2024;offering an opportunity to assess the progress made and accelerate the implementation of the commitments made within the framework of the strengthened exceptional partnership between the two countries.”
The meeting is an opportunity to take the next steps—which are as important as they are foundational—in accordance with the guidelines of King Mohammed VI, which underscore the North African country’s commitment to ambitious, balanced cooperation that holds future opportunities for both partners.
In this regard, Akhannouch praised French President Emmanuel Macron’s commitment to injecting a bold new dynamic into the relationship between the two countries, thereby consolidating an exceptional partnership between the Alawite Kingdom and the French Republic.
Political and Strategic Convergence
Against the backdrop of a global context marked by mounting crises and uncertainties, Morocco and France not only share the same goal of stability and cooperation; they have also deepened their political and strategic dialogue on major regional and international issues in a spirit of trust, shared responsibility, and mutual respect.
“This convergence is currently having a particular impact in the Mediterranean, African, and Atlantic regions, especially following France’s stance in support of the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Morocco and the Moroccan identity of the Sahara, which has helped foster a strengthened climate of trust,” Akhannouch stated.
“On the economic front, the momentum generated since President Emmanuel Macron’s last state visit has accelerated the implementation of structural projects in the fields of industry, decarbonization, infrastructure and renewable energy, logistics, innovation, and productive investment,” added the Moroccan prime minister.
On this occasion, Aziz Akhannouch highlighted the strength and quality of cooperation between Morocco and France, driven by the emergence of new value chains that position banking services as one of the pillars of the bilateral economic relationship.
The head of the Moroccan government also underscored the shared commitment to driving major technological transformations, placing special emphasis on the fields of artificial intelligence, digitalization, applied research, and other strategic sectors aimed at strengthening the competitiveness of both economies.
The Human Dimension: A Pillar of the Moroccan-French Partnership
This exceptional, strengthened partnership transcends the strategic and economic spheres to rest on a shared conviction: the richness of the human ties between the two societies. The human dimension—which includes university students, researchers, entrepreneurs, artists, creators, and the diaspora—plays an essential role in bringing the two peoples closer together and in strengthening their cultural exchanges, as Akhannouch emphasized.
Regarding human capital, Akhannouch stated that the two countries are continuing their efforts in support of higher education, scientific research, vocational training, innovation, and talent mobility.
In parallel, both countries place special importance on cultural cooperation, the promotion of intercultural dialogue, the preservation of their shared heritage, and the strengthening of people-to-people exchanges, which represent the living and enduring foundation of the relationship between the two sides.
In this vein, Morocco and France reaffirmed their ambition to project their bilateral relationship into the future, ushering in a new phase of their strategic partnership. This momentum is inspired by the vision of King Mohammed VI and the French president’s commitment to consolidating cooperation tailored to the challenges of the 21st century.
Both governments expressed their determination to translate the political commitments made by both countries into concrete results, with the goal of building a more effective and innovative partnership capable of addressing the common challenges they face together in the economic, technological, geopolitical, and human spheres.
A New Level of Engagement in the Bilateral Relationship
French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu stated that this Morocco-France High-Level Meeting marks a turning point in the bilateral relationship, as it sets in motion the commitments made during the President of the Republic’s historic state visit to Rabat in October 2024.
The main commitment made, according to him, was to drive a shift in scale in the partnership between Morocco and France, creating special interministerial, political, diplomatic, economic, and cultural ties in order to establish a unique framework for governance between the two countries.
“France and Morocco aim to consolidate a strategic partnership that, in addition to strengthening their privileged relationship with the European Union, will serve as a bridge toward renewed cooperation—based on converging interests and geared toward the development and stability of the African continent,” Lecornu explained, reaffirming Paris’s support for the autonomy plan as a definitive solution to the Sahara dispute.
Within this framework, Morocco and France reaffirmed that security will remain one of the pillars of their strategic partnership, alongside the major demographic and environmental challenges affecting the continent.
Both countries will strengthen their coordination in the fight against terrorism and transnational threats, convinced that regional stability requires increasingly close diplomatic and security cooperation, according to the French prime minister.
In fact, the two governments agreed on the need to take their bilateral relationship to a new level, ushering in a new dynamic that aims to project Franco-Moroccan cooperation beyond the bilateral sphere and transform it into an instrument serving the development, stability, and integration of the African continent.
Sébastien Lecornu concluded by noting that this High-Level Meeting marks a new phase in the deepening of the Franco-Moroccan partnership. This momentum, he added, will help pave the way for King Mohammed VI’s upcoming state visit to France—a pivotal moment in Rabat-Paris relations—which could culminate in the signing of an exceptional friendship treaty aimed at consolidating an unprecedented strategic partnership between the two countries.
Agreements Signed
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation, and Moroccans Abroad, Nasser Bourita, and the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Jean-Noël Barrot, have signed a letter of intent regarding cooperation on feminist foreign policy, with the aim of strengthening feminist diplomacy at both the ministerial and international levels.
In addition,the Minister of Economy and Finance, Nadia Fettah, and the French Minister of Economy, Finance, and Industrial Sovereignty, Energy, and Digital Affairs, Roland Lescure, signed a memorandum of understanding confirming the financing of the high-speed rail line between Kenitra and Marrakech.
This is also a joint statement that complements the Memorandum of Understanding confirming the implementation of the partnership in the field of water, which was initialed by Fettah, Barrot, and the Director of the French Development Agency (AFD) in Morocco, Catherine Bonnaud. This agreement supplements and clarifies the commitments made by the parties in the Memorandum of Understanding of October 28, 2024, regarding support for the national water policy.
In addition, the Minister of National Education, Preschool Education, and Sports, Mohamed Berrada, and the French Minister Delegate for Francophonie and International Associations, Eléonore Caroit, have signed a declaration of intent regarding the teaching of the Arabic language and history and geography in French schools in Morocco, with the aim of promoting the development of bilingual proficiency.
At the same time, the Minister of Transportation and Logistics, Abdessamad Kayouh, and his French counterpart, Philippe Tabarot, signed a three-year action plan (2026–2028) for the implementation of technical cooperation in the field of civil aviation.
Kayouh also signed an agreement with the director of the National Maritime School (ENSM, France), François Lambert, establishing a partnership between ENSM and the Higher Institute of Maritime Studies (ISEM, Morocco), aimed at strengthening scientific and educational exchanges between the two institutions.
For their part,the Minister of Industry and Trade, Ryad Mezzour, and the representative of the CEO of La Poste Group, Christelle Geneste Defaye,have signed a cooperation agreement to adapt the postal service to new challenges and strengthen collaboration between the two operators.
In the cultural sphere, the Minister of Youth, Culture, and Communication, Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid, and his French counterpart, Catherine Pegard, signed a declaration of intent on cooperation in the field of cinema and the moving image on the African continent, as well as a declaration of intent regarding cooperation in the field of artistic exchange.
Bensaid also signed a strategic partnership agreement with the president of the Arab World Institute, Anne-Claire Legendre, to establish a general framework for cooperation between the two parties with the aim of developing a partnership centered on cultural, intellectual, and civic initiatives.
The director general of the Public Laboratory for Testing and Studies (LPEE), Hammou Bensaadout, and the Director General of the Center for Studies and Expertise on Risks, Environment, Mobility, and Development (CEREMA),also signed a framework cooperation agreement covering various areas of activity, such as soil engineering and expertise in port, hydraulic, and maritime infrastructure (CEREMA).
Finally, the Director of the Hassan II Agronomic and Veterinary Institute (IAV) Hassan II, Abdelaziz El Hraiki, and the Deputy Director General for Research and Strategy at the Center for International Cooperation in Agricultural Research for Development (CIRAD), Jean-Paul Laclau, have signed a framework agreement for scientific cooperation covering the fields of agriculture, veterinary medicine, and fisheries and aquaculture sciences.
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