French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu to embark on historic visit to Morocco
French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu is set to make his first international trip since assuming office during a ceremony alongside President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron on the Champs-Élysées on July 14. The high-profile visit to Rabat is scheduled for July 15, marking a significant diplomatic milestone.
The Prime Minister will be received in Morocco at the invitation of the Moroccan government to co-chair the fifteenth edition of the Franco-Moroccan intergovernmental seminar, known as the “High-Level Meeting” (RHN). This follows a period of diplomatic strain between the two nations, with the last such meeting held in 2019 before relations cooled. Recent efforts have since restored ties, culminating in a state visit by the French President to Rabat in October 2024, shortly after France acknowledged Morocco’s sovereignty over the disputed Western Sahara region.
About the Prime Minister
Sébastien Lecornu
Key figures accompanying the Prime Minister
The delegation will include twelve ministers, with Jean-Noël Barrot, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Laurent Nuñez, Minister of the Interior, among the key participants. The meeting will provide an opportunity for Lecornu to engage with his Moroccan counterpart, Aziz Akhannouch, and address pressing bilateral and regional issues.
Summer break instructions for ministers
As the government gears up for the summer season, Prime Minister Lecornu has issued a directive to his cabinet. While ministers are encouraged to take some rest, extended vacations have been discouraged. According to reports, Lecornu prefers shorter breaks and has himself planned to split his August between Paris and Vernon, in the Eure department, while ensuring some work commitments are maintained.
The Prime Minister’s upcoming visit to Morocco underscores France’s commitment to strengthening ties with its North African partner, following a period of diplomatic realignment.
