Morocco and France share a "unique partnership" based on an "exceptional" link
Morocco and France are united by a "unique partnership" based on an "exceptional bond" renewed by a political agenda, the deputy spokesman of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs stressed recently, in statements reported by the Moroccan news agency MAP.
"The first visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Stéphane Séjourné, will be the starting point for other visits," he said, referring to the visit of the head of French diplomacy to the Kingdom last February.
Au Maroc aujourd’hui pour ouvrir un nouveau chapitre dans notre relation. Amitié, sincérité, confiance. pic.twitter.com/r1uL5JAMPO
— Stéphane Séjourné (@steph_sejourne) February 26, 2024
On that visit, Séjourné said he was "impressed by the reforms and projects led by His Majesty the King, who places human development at the heart of the development model promoted by the Kingdom".
With regard to bilateral ties, the minister affirmed that Paris and Rabat are determined to renew and deepen their "exceptional" relations by agreeing on a "clear" and "ambitious" roadmap to meet the new challenges.
Point de presse conjoint entre M. Nasser Bourita et son homologue français, M. Stéphane Séjourné.@steph_sejourne @francediplo pic.twitter.com/0GdB103ff6
— Maroc Diplomatie 🇲🇦 (@MarocDiplomatie) February 26, 2024
After Séjourné's trip, it was the turn of the Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade, Franck Riester, who travelled to Morocco with the aim of continuing to promote the unique partnership that unites France and Morocco. A relationship, according to the Foreign Ministry spokesman, "founded on an exceptional bond between our two countries, and renewed by a political agenda that today allows us to look ahead to the next thirty years, with an ambitious roadmap".
Nos élus des Français de l’étranger ont un rôle essentiel dans la vie des plus des 54 000 de nos compatriotes qui résident au Maroc. 🇫🇷🇲🇦
— Franck Riester (@franckriester) April 4, 2024
A Casablanca, j’ai pu les remercier de leur dévouement et les assurer de ma détermination pour la poursuite de notre action commune au… pic.twitter.com/ztm1KysmCx
Franck Riester's visit to Morocco "is fully in line with this logic and this movement, since he is in charge of foreign trade," he added during a press conference. "This is fully part of his roadmap, and it is for this reason that he is travelling to Morocco. This does not exclude other ministerial visits in the future in the framework of this renewed strategic partnership," he concluded.
France, ready to invest in Western Sahara alongside Morocco
In Morocco, Riester announced that France is ready to invest alongside Morocco in the Western Sahara region. "We must make sure that we work together, we have common interests", he told journalists at the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Casablanca, stressing that he wanted to work "on boosting the relationship".
🇲🇦🇫🇷 La France s’apprête t-elle à financer des projets au Sahara? La réponse de Franck Riester, ministre délégué chargé du Commerce extérieur
— Le360 (@Le360fr) April 4, 2024
«Nous avons des intérêts communs et nous avons à la fois l’expérience, l’histoire, et l’envie de relever ces défis ensemble entre… pic.twitter.com/LMs1NYDMNC
Before travelling to Casablanca, Riester held meetings in Rabat with the Moroccan Minister Delegate for Investment, Mohcine Jazouli, and the Moroccan Minister for Industry, Ryad Mezzour.
In addition to Riester, the French Minister of Agriculture, Marc Fesneau, who will attend the Kingdom's agricultural fair (SIAM) to be held between 22 and 28 April in Meknès, and the Minister of Economy, Bruno le Maire, who will travel to Morocco between 26 and 28 April and will participate in the Morocco-France investment forum with several officials and businessmen from both countries, according to EFE.
Il est essentiel d’unir nos forces pour créer des synergies positives et durables. La convergence des intérêts économiques ouvre la voie à des opportunités mutuellement bénéfiques. https://t.co/8tyY6AVgB7
— Mohcine Jazouli محسن الجزولي (@mohcine_jazouli) April 4, 2024
The French Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, and the Minister of Culture, Rachida Dati, are also expected to visit Morocco in the third week of this month.
All these high-level visits are aimed at promoting and improving Franco-Moroccan relations after certain diplomatic tensions related to Paris' rapprochement with Algeria, the French media's coverage of the September earthquake and Rabat's pressure on France to position itself more clearly in favour of the autonomy plan proposed by the Kingdom as a solution to the Western Sahara conflict.
