The French Prime Minister, Sébastien Lecornu, arrived in Rabat last night for a high-profile visit aimed at deepening bilateral relations with Morocco ahead of a potential state visit by King Mohammed VI to France.

Lecornu, accompanied by twelve ministers including Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Noël Barrot and Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez, received a military welcome at the airport just after 10 PM. Morocco’s Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch and several government members were present to greet the French delegation.

The visit follows Lecornu’s recent trip to Doha, where he conveyed France’s condolences to Qatar after the passing of former Emir Sheikh Hamad ben Khalifa Al-Thani. Akhannouch also attended the funeral in Doha on behalf of Morocco.

diplomatic thaw and strategic partnerships

Franco-Moroccan relations have significantly improved since 2024, when French President Emmanuel Macron officially recognized Morocco’s sovereignty over the disputed Western Sahara territory. This move, which drew sharp criticism from Algeria, marked the beginning of a diplomatic thaw between Paris and Rabat.

In October 2024, President Macron was received with full honors in Rabat, ending three years of strained relations. The visit resulted in multiple agreements and the signing of a strengthened “exceptional partnership.”

In a message commemorating France’s National Day, King Mohammed VI highlighted the “consolidation” of the “privileged relationship” between the two nations, according to Morocco’s official news agency.

key agreements and future collaborations

On Thursday, the two prime ministers will begin their visit at the royal mausoleum before holding bilateral talks. Each minister will meet their Moroccan counterpart to discuss a wide range of topics.

Following the discussions, they will preside over the 15th High-Level Meeting between their delegations—a dialogue platform that has not convened since 2019. The meeting is expected to yield around fifteen agreements spanning economic, security, migration, and defense sectors, as confirmed by diplomatic sources.

The agreements will cover key areas including civil aviation, the development of a regional express rail network in Rabat, water resource partnerships, and an electricity interconnection project between the two countries.

In the defense sector, France and Morocco are exploring potential collaborations in arms procurement. Culturally, the two nations will formalize a strategic partnership between the Arab World Institute in Paris and Morocco’s Ministry of Culture.

shifting alliances in the Maghreb

With Morocco now a priority for French diplomacy in the Maghreb, Paris appears to be shifting away from its long-standing efforts to maintain a delicate balance with Algeria. This change comes as France seeks to enhance its strategic presence in North Africa.

On security matters in the Sahel, France is increasingly relying on Morocco as a key partner, while Algeria remains cautious in sharing intelligence despite the recent resumption of Franco-Algerian cooperation.