Philippe Lalliot, the newly appointed French ambassador to Morocco, chose the spring session of the Paris Peace Forum in Rabat for his first public address. The event took place on June 4 and 5, 2026, at the Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P), just one day after he presented his credentials to the King.

Faced with ongoing crises and their global repercussions, Lalliot reaffirmed the importance of multilateral rules. “International law is not dead. Its founding principles are just. It must be defended on principle, because it is precisely the shield for those who have none,” he stated, underlining its role as a common good.

The diplomat argued that international law remains “the condition for peace, stability, and security for the greatest number.”

“We are in the right place, at the right time, and in good company to reflect on the ways and means by which we can together ensure that these major upheavals, these transitions, become the subject of concrete, realistic, and adapted solutions,” he added, advocating for “transforming our hopes and ambitions into projects and actions.”

The ambassador highlighted that reflecting on global imbalances and defining solutions to them lies “at the heart of the exceptional partnership that unites France and Morocco.”

For Lalliot, this “Franco-Moroccan method” is meant to inspire others. “I am convinced that our two countries, through their shared history, but also through the common vision they have of these issues and of the future, have the responsibility to set an example,” he said. He noted that this responsibility involves bringing people together broadly, especially ahead of important bilateral or multilateral meetings.

He illustrated his point with the first concrete project launched since he took office. “The day before yesterday, alongside the Moroccan Minister of Equipment and Water, and my German, Italian, and European counterparts, we launched a large program of nearly 350 million euros to support Morocco’s national water management strategy.”

Strategic for Morocco’s water sovereignty, this project aims at better knowledge of water resources, particularly groundwater, coordinated management of climate-related water phenomena such as floods, and other initiatives like wastewater reuse.

As debates on energy and food security conclude in Rabat—topics that will be central to the G7 in Évian from June 15 to 17—France and Morocco are preparing a new cooperation framework, the finalization of which is imminent.