Prime Minister Lecornu's Diplomatic Visit to Morocco
French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu is set to embark on his inaugural foreign trip to Morocco on Wednesday and Thursday, aiming to fortify the ties between France and Morocco. This visit comes in the wake of discussions regarding a potential visit by King Mohammed VI to Paris, underscoring the importance of this diplomatic mission. Accompanied by a delegation of approximately twelve ministers, including Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Noël Barrot and Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez, Lecornu will engage in high-level discussions with Moroccan Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch. This meeting marks the first such gathering between the two governments since 2019, highlighting a renewed commitment to cooperation.
The relationship between France and Morocco has been on a positive trajectory since President Emmanuel Macron acknowledged Morocco's sovereignty over the disputed territory of Western Sahara in the summer of 2024—a move that provoked criticism from Algeria. Macron's subsequent state visit to Rabat in October 2024, which concluded three years of diplomatic tensions characterized by espionage allegations and visa crises, was a significant step towards mending relations. The visit resulted in the signing of numerous agreements, with experts like Hasni Abidi, director of the Center for Studies and Research on the Arab and Mediterranean World (Cermam) in Geneva, describing the current state of Franco-Moroccan relations as excellent and ripe for mutual benefits.
Shifting Diplomatic Priorities in North Africa
Morocco has emerged as a focal point of French diplomacy in the Maghreb region, with Paris no longer striving to maintain a delicate balance in its relations with Algeria. As highlighted by Hasni Abidi, President Macron is no longer as concerned with balancing ties between Morocco and Algeria, whose relationship with France remains complicated. Lecornu's visit represents his first foreign engagement since assuming office in autumn 2025, a tenure that has so far been characterized by a low profile. Following a ceremonial welcome on Wednesday evening, the two prime ministers will participate in a wreath-laying ceremony at the royal mausoleum on Thursday morning before entering into bilateral discussions.
The subsequent meeting between delegates from both nations will take place at the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where multiple agreements are anticipated to be signed. This sequence of events aims to deepen cooperation across several critical sectors, including economic, security, migration, and defense. Given the ongoing difficulties in the relationship with Algeria, historians like Pierre Vermeren emphasize that Macron, nearing the end of his mandate, is eager to avoid diplomatic failure in the Maghreb and is instead directing his focus towards strengthening ties with Morocco. Rabat is seen as a potential intermediary that could assist Paris in reconnecting with various sub-Saharan African nations, especially given their shared interests in combating jihadist threats in the Sahel region.
The collaboration between France and Morocco has already resumed in terms of security, migration, and judicial matters. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez is expected to discuss the potential extradition of Franco-Moroccan Ismael Benahmed, who is suspected of murder in Paris in 2019 and has recently been apprehended in Morocco. In return, Morocco appreciates France's support for its autonomy plan for Western Sahara, which contributed to the adoption of a pro-Moroccan UN resolution in 2025. The Franco-Moroccan rapprochement is also expected to lead to increased French investments in Morocco.
At the height of the visa crisis in 2021 and 2022, when France halved the number of visas issued to Moroccans, Rabat not only restricted the repatriation of its undocumented citizens but also sought new commercial partnerships with other European countries. The culmination of this strengthened relationship could be a significant visit from King Mohammed VI to France, accompanied by the signing of a treaty that would establish an 'exceptional' Franco-Moroccan partnership. The foreign ministers of both nations announced the principle of this visit at the end of May, although the exact date has yet to be determined. The last visit by a Moroccan monarch to France occurred in March 2000 when King Mohammed VI visited for three days to further enhance bilateral cooperation.
As reported by lemanbleu.ch.
