The prime ministers of Morocco and France opened a high-level ministerial meeting in Rabat on Thursday aimed at strengthening bilateral ties ahead of an anticipated state visit by King Mohammed VI to Paris. Relations between France and Morocco have improved significantly since French President Emmanuel Macron recognized Morocco's sovereignty over Western Sahara in the summer of 2024. In October of that year, Macron received an exceptionally warm welcome during an official visit to Rabat, marking the end of three years of strained relations. Moroccan Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch held bilateral talks with his French counterpart, Sébastien Lecornu, at the opening of the 15th session of the joint intergovernmental meeting. Lecornu arrived in Rabat on Wednesday night accompanied by 12 ministers, including Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot and Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez. Akhannouch said that "the exceptional partnership between Morocco and France, established during President Emmanuel Macron's state visit to the Kingdom in October 2024, has opened a new chapter in relations between our two countries. It has laid the foundation for an ambitious future built on strong political convergence, renewed economic momentum, and a shared determination to prepare for and build the future together." He added that "the enhanced exceptional partnership between Morocco and France is founded not only on strategic and economic dimensions, but also on a deep conviction rooted in the richness of the human ties between our societies. Students, researchers, entrepreneurs, artists, creators, and members of our diaspora all contribute to bringing our peoples closer together and enriching our cultures." France's Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu (L) and his Moroccan counterpart Aziz Akhannouch prepare to greet each other after delivering their press statements at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs office in Rabat on July 16, 2026. (Photo by Abdel Majid BZIOUAT / AFP) King Mohammed VI is expected to pay a state visit to France to sign a Morocco-France Treaty, as announced by the two countries' foreign ministers during a meeting in Rabat in May, although no date has been set yet. Lecornu said the anticipated visit could lead to the signing of "a unique friendship treaty" that would go beyond the "enhanced exceptional partnership" agreements concluded during Macron's 2024 visit to Rabat. He stressed that France seeks to deepen its relationship with Morocco, particularly in the areas of security and counterterrorism, while highlighting the two countries' "shared interests" across Africa. Lecornu added: "The significance of our presence here today, accompanied by such a large ministerial delegation, is our desire to achieve a qualitative leap in our bilateral relationship - a transformation that will benefit both our countries and others as well. This also applies to our relationship with the European Union and to our shared and aligned interests across the African continent." France is seeking to strengthen its partnership with Morocco, particularly regarding security developments in the Sahel region, after moving away from its longstanding policy of maintaining a balance between Rabat and Algiers. The ministerial summit is expected to conclude with the signing of around 15 cooperation agreements covering the economy, security, defense, and migration, according to a diplomatic source. The agreements are expected to include projects related to an urban rail network in and around the capital, as well as cooperation in defense industries, civil aviation, water, electricity, and culture. Lecornu also said that France and Morocco are seeking expressions of interest for an electricity interconnection project between the two countries as part of broader efforts to strengthen energy links between Europe and North Africa.
