France and Morocco are signaling a profound desire to craft a foundational document rooted in enduring strategic interests. This shared ambition aims to establish an equivalent, mutatis mutandis, of the historic Franco-German Élysée Treaty, famously signed in 1963 by General de Gaulle and Chancellor Konrad Adenauer.

A dedicated commission has been tasked not with negotiating the treaty itself—that responsibility lies with both governments—but with formulating concrete proposals. These proposals will define the guiding principles of the partnership, outline strategic priorities stretching to 2035-2040, establish mechanisms for political dialogue, and delineate key areas for economic, security, military, academic, and cultural cooperation.

A fundamental question arises: why a new friendship treaty? This new accord is set to supersede the La Celle-Saint-Cloud agreement, signed in France on November 6, 1955. That original agreement served as the bedrock for Morocco’s return to independence and the official conclusion of the protectorate on March 2, 1956. It was under this agreement that Paris authorized the return of Mohammed V to the Throne, following his deportation on August 20, 1953.

Today, the objective is to solidify the achievements of an already privileged, even exceptional, cooperation, while simultaneously laying the strategic groundwork for a relationship built on equality, looking ahead to the coming decades.

Four principal pillars stand out in this evolving partnership. The first centers on economic collaboration: Paris commits to substantial investments in key Moroccan industrial sectors, including automotive, railway, defense, and maritime transport. Furthermore, France will support their modernization through the deployment of cutting-edge technologies.

Rabat, in turn, pledges its commitment across several fronts, offering preferential access to French enterprises for major infrastructure projects and providing attractive fiscal incentives.

«This friendship treaty would bind France to a state not belonging to the European Union, whereas Algeria has never succeeded in finalizing a similar agreement over more than two decades, despite several attempts initiated under the presidencies of Jacques Chirac and Abdelaziz Bouteflika, then Emmanuel Macron and Abdelmadjid Tebboune.»

—  Mustapha Sehimi

The second pillar focuses on security and defense industry cooperation. This involves the transfer of military technologies, with the long-term goal of positioning Morocco as a regional production hub for both light and heavy equipment, encompassing aviation, munitions, military vehicles, and armored systems. The partnership will also expand joint training and exercises, and strengthen coordination in security and intelligence to address regional security challenges, particularly in the Sahel.

Culture forms a crucial third pillar. This includes maintaining the privileged status of the French language within the Moroccan educational system and promoting Francophonie, without impeding the Kingdom’s embrace of international business languages like English. It also facilitates Moroccan students’ access to French universities—a number currently exceeding 42,000—and expands the existing network of twelve French cultural institutes, alongside the opening of new educational establishments, particularly in the Southern provinces.

The final pillar delves into geopolitics and strategy. This encompasses Paris’s unwavering support for Morocco’s paramount interests, including endorsement of the autonomy plan for the Sahara, a plan validated by the Security Council within the framework of a negotiated settlement process (Resolution 2797 of October 31, 2025). France will also advocate for Moroccan interests within European Union institutions and defend them in sectors such as agriculture and fishing, as well as across various bilateral and multilateral cooperation frameworks.

Beyond these commitments, France anticipates Morocco’s participation, through diverse modalities, in new strategic alliances across West Africa. This region has seen a gradual decline in French influence over the past decade, and Paris seeks to leverage the Kingdom’s established position as a regional hub.

Ultimately, this treaty carries immense symbolic and diplomatic weight. It would forge a deep bond between France and a non-European Union state, a significant achievement, especially when contrasted with Algeria’s inability to finalize a similar agreement over more than two decades, despite multiple attempts under presidents Jacques Chirac and Abdelaziz Bouteflika, and later Emmanuel Macron and Abdelmadjid Tebboune.

Morocco is increasingly asserting itself as a regional power, an economic hub, and a leading actor in energy, logistics, and security matters. This groundbreaking treaty could therefore serve as a demonstrative and exemplary model, a blueprint capable of re-articulating new forms of cooperation between Europe and Africa.