France opens first diplomatic and cultural centre in Tangier
Relations between France and Morocco are continuing one month after French President Emmanuel Macron's visit to Rabat.
On this occasion, Moroccan and French diplomats met at the French Consulate General in Tangier to inaugurate the new diplomatic and cultural centre. This new point will serve to consolidate the presence of French cultural and diplomatic services in the northern region of the North African country.
This achievement represents the end of the first phase of a process that will lead to the unification of the services of the French Institute and the Consulate in the emblematic Place de France. The new centre will be in the former building that served as the residence of the French consuls general. To this end, the building has been remodelled and restored since 2021.
The event was attended by the French ambassador to Morocco, Christophe Lecourtier; the president of the IMAD Ibn Ziaten association, Latifa Ibn Ziaten; the wali of the Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima region, Younes Tazi; the president of the Regional Council, Omar Moro; and elected officials, representatives of the consulates general in Tangier and several other personalities.
‘Adapting French services to this dynamic environment was an imperative,’ said the French ambassador, Christophe Lecourtier, in his opening speech. His speech was full of praise for the administration's management of the northern region of Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima, where he emphasised the great economic and demographic growth of the area since 2000.
Maison des Français
Although relations between France and Morocco have changed over the years, the community of French people living in Morocco, and Moroccans living in France, is growing year by year.
One of the key aspects of the inauguration of this new cultural centre is that more and more French people are living in Morocco every year. With around 4,000 French citizens, many of them dual nationals, residing in the northern city of Tangier, the diplomatic centre will serve as the home of the French in Morocco.
‘These statistics show that it was high time to adapt the ‘Maison des Français’ in Tangier to this new environment and to open the whole site to new perspectives,’ Lecourtier continued.
France is seeking to strengthen its relationship with Morocco to meet regional and global challenges. This is reflected in a recent announcement. The Consulate plans to merge with the Institut Français to create a joint space in the famous Place de France by 2025.
Importantly, the merger between the Institut Français de Tangier and the Consulate will allow most services and a media library to be offered in one place by the summer of 2025. In addition, a Campus France branch will be established at the Institute. The purpose of this partnership is to enable more people from Tangier to visit the historic site and enjoy its cultural and educational value.
With more than 30,000 French citizens in Morocco and strong economic ties between the two countries, the consular presence has been strengthened to foster development and collaboration between them.
