The diplomatic landscape between France and Morocco continues to evolve positively, as evidenced by French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu‘s official visit to Rabat. This visit marks a significant step toward deepening bilateral cooperation, with prospects of a state visit by King Mohammed VI to Paris and the signing of a historic friendship treaty currently under discussion.

The thaw in relations began in the summer of 2024, when the Élysée Palace officially recognized Morocco’s sovereignty over the Western Sahara. This decision, which drew sharp criticism from Algiers, set the stage for a series of high-level exchanges aimed at restoring trust between the two nations.

a new chapter in bilateral cooperation

The turning point came in October 2024, when French President Emmanuel Macron was received with full military honors in Rabat. This visit, which followed three years of strained relations exacerbated by espionage allegations and visa disputes, culminated in a series of major contracts and the signing of an exceptional strengthened partnership.

During his latest visit, Lecornu was accompanied by a delegation of twelve ministers, including Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot and Interior Minister Laurent Nunez. At the opening of the 15th High-Level Meeting between the two delegations—a forum that had not convened since 2019—he described the occasion as a pivotal moment and emphasized the need to scale up collaboration, particularly in security and counterterrorism efforts.

Lecornu highlighted the shared interests of both countries in Africa, where they face the growing threat of jihadist groups in the Sahel. He also proposed positioning France as a key anchor in Morocco’s relationship with the European Union. His Moroccan counterpart, Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch, echoed this sentiment, calling for accelerated implementation of the commitments made in the 2024 partnership and preparation for the next steps.

addressing past controversies

The visit took place against the backdrop of recent revelations regarding the alleged use of the Pegasus spyware by Morocco. A consortium of international media outlets published investigations suggesting that Morocco had deployed the Israeli-developed software to infiltrate the phones of numerous national and foreign figures, including the French President and Lecornu, who was serving as a minister at the time. Rabat has consistently denied these allegations, dismissing them as baseless and false.

Despite these controversies, the visit proceeded as planned, with a joint press conference initially scheduled but later reduced to brief statements without an opportunity for questions. The visit concluded with a message from King Mohammed VI, conveyed through the Moroccan Press Agency (MAP) on the occasion of Bastille Day. In the message, the King praised the strengthening of the privileged relations between the two countries.