Morocco and France deepen defense and strategic cooperation in Rabat

At the express directive of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, Supreme Commander and Chief of Staff of the Royal Armed Forces (FAR), Abdeltif Loudyi, Morocco’s minister delegate to the Head of Government responsible for National Defense Administration, welcomed France’s Minister of the Armed Forces and Veterans, Catherine Vautrin, in Rabat this Thursday.

The meeting took place in the presence of a high-ranking Moroccan military delegation led by the General Inspector of the FAR and Commander of the Southern Zone. Minister Vautrin is part of a senior French delegation accompanying French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu during an official working visit to Morocco.

Strategic agreements signed during 15th Morocco-France high-level meeting

The visit coincides with the 15th session of the Morocco-France High-Level Meeting, focused on strengthening and diversifying bilateral cooperation across multiple sectors. During the discussions, both sides signed a technical arrangement and a memorandum of understanding on defense industry collaboration, as confirmed by a statement from Morocco’s National Defense Administration.

Key areas of dialogue included bilateral and regional issues, with both parties exploring new avenues to enhance and broaden military cooperation between the two nations. A shared commitment emerged to solidify these ties by implementing the legal instruments finalized during this high-level session.

The 15th Morocco-France High-Level Meeting brought together 22 ministers from both countries, co-chaired by Morocco’s Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch and France’s Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu. The session concluded with the signing of eleven cooperation agreements spanning diverse domains, from the development of Rabat’s Regional Express Rail (RER) network to water resource management and decentralization initiatives.

A partnership built on historic momentum

The high-level discussions unfolded against a backdrop of exceptional partnership and strengthened political ties between Morocco and France. This alignment is underscored by France’s evolving stance, particularly its official endorsement of Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara and recognition of Moroccan authority over its southern provinces—a landmark shift in bilateral relations.