Since taking office at Matignon ten months ago, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu had not yet embarked on an international mission—until now. This week marks his first official foreign tour as head of government.

His first stop was Qatar, where he arrived on Tuesday accompanied by former foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian. Their mission: to deliver France’s official condolences following the death of the country’s former ruler, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, who passed away at the age of 74. President Emmanuel Macron personally tasked Lecornu with this sensitive diplomatic gesture, underscoring what the Élysée described as the “deep friendship” binding France and Qatar.

The Qatari government announced the former emir’s death on Sunday. Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani had ruled the nation from 1995 until 2013, when he made the unexpected decision to abdicate in favor of his fourth son. His funeral took place the same evening.

The Élysée later highlighted the late emir’s legacy, crediting him with spearheading Qatar’s historic modernization and pioneering a dynamic, effective foreign policy that reshaped the Gulf state’s global standing.

Strengthening ties in Rabat with high-level talks

After concluding his mission in Doha, Prime Minister Lecornu will arrive in Rabat on Wednesday evening for a two-day visit. He will be joined by a dozen cabinet members, including Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot and Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez.

The centerpiece of the trip will be a high-level meeting with Morocco’s Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch—a first since 2019. The visit underscores France’s commitment to deepening its partnership with Morocco, a relationship that has seen remarkable improvement since President Macron’s landmark decision in the summer of 2024 to recognize Moroccan sovereignty over the disputed Western Sahara region. That move, which drew sharp criticism from Algiers, paved the way for Macron’s state visit to Rabat in October 2024, a three-day tour that concluded with the signing of multiple bilateral agreements.

Looking ahead, the two nations are preparing for an even more significant milestone: a state visit by King Mohammed VI to France, during which a bilateral treaty is expected to be signed, formalizing what officials describe as an exceptional partnership between the two countries.