French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has arrived in Rabat for a two-day official visit aimed at deepening diplomatic and economic cooperation between France and Morocco. The trip, his first international engagement since assuming office in late 2025, signals a renewed focus on strengthening ties between the two nations.
The visit comes at a pivotal moment as France shifts its diplomatic priorities in North Africa, moving away from its previous balancing act between Morocco and Algeria. Emmanuel Macron‘s recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara in 2024 marked a turning point in relations, easing years of tension that included espionage allegations and visa disputes.
high-level diplomatic talks
Accompanied by a delegation of key ministers including Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Noël Barrot and Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez, Lecornu will hold extensive discussions with his Moroccan counterpart, Aziz Akhannouch. The meetings will focus on expanding cooperation across economic, security, migration, and defense sectors. A ceremonial wreath-laying at the royal mausoleum and a joint press conference are scheduled for Thursday morning.
“France and Morocco now enjoy excellent relations, and this visit aims to harvest the fruits of our renewed partnership,” noted Hasni Abidi, director of the Centre for Studies and Research on the Arab and Mediterranean World in Geneva. He emphasized that Morocco has become France’s top diplomatic priority in the Maghreb, a shift from Paris’s previous approach of maintaining delicate balance with Algiers.
key agreements and strategic cooperation
The visit is expected to yield new bilateral agreements, particularly in trade and investment. French officials will also address ongoing security cooperation, including discussions on the potential extradition of Franco-Moroccan national Ismael Benahmed, accused of a 2019 murder in Paris and recently arrested in Morocco.
Morocco’s support for France’s stance on Western Sahara — which contributed to a 2025 UN resolution favorable to Morocco — remains a cornerstone of the partnership. The historic dispute over the territory, a former Spanish colony recognized by the UN as a “non-self-governing territory,” has long pitted Morocco against the Polisario Front, backed by Algeria.
“Emmanuel Macron, nearing the end of his mandate, is determined not to leave the Maghreb region with unresolved issues,” explained historian Pierre Vermeren. He added that Rabat could serve as an intermediary to help France reconnect with sub-Saharan African countries, given shared interests in combating the jihadist threat in the Sahel.
security and regional stability
The strengthening of Franco-Moroccan relations follows a period of strained ties during 2021–2022, when France reduced visa issuance to Moroccans by half, prompting Rabat to redirect some trade partnerships toward other European countries. Since then, both nations have worked to restore mutual trust, culminating in Macron’s state visit to Rabat in October 2024, which included the signing of multiple trade contracts.
A symbolic highlight of the visit could be the announcement of a planned state visit by King Mohammed VI to France, potentially accompanied by the signing of a new bilateral treaty. The two countries’ foreign ministers had announced the principle of such a visit in late May, though no date has been confirmed. The last visit by a Moroccan monarch to France dates back to March 2000, when Mohammed VI also attended a three-day state visit to bolster bilateral cooperation.