French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu arrived in Rabat Wednesday evening, greeted by Morocco’s Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch. The visit marks a pivotal step in deepening relations between France and Morocco ahead of a potential state visit by King Mohammed VI to Paris.

Accompanied by twelve ministers, including Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Noël Barrot and Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez, Lecornu received a military welcome at the airport around 10 PM, joined by Morocco’s Prime Minister and several government officials.

Lecornu had just concluded a diplomatic mission in Qatar, where he conveyed France’s condolences following the passing of former Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. Morocco’s Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch also attended the Doha ceremony to represent his country.

The Franco-Moroccan relationship has seen remarkable improvement since President Emmanuel Macron officially recognized Morocco’s sovereignty over the disputed Western Sahara region during summer 2024. This move strained relations with Algiers.

President Macron was subsequently honored with a grand welcome in Rabat the following October, concluding three years of diplomatic tension. The visit led to multiple agreements and the signing of an exceptional “enhanced partnership.”

In a message marking France’s Bastille Day, Morocco’s King Mohammed VI praised the “consolidation” of the “privileged relationship” between the two nations, according to the official Moroccan news agency MAP.

Fifteen Strategic Agreements on the Horizon

Thursday’s agenda begins with a ceremonial visit to the royal mausoleum, followed by a bilateral meeting where each minister will engage with their Moroccan counterpart.

The leaders will preside over the 15th “High-Level Meeting” between their delegations — a dialogue platform inactive since 2019. This session is expected to yield nearly fifteen agreements spanning economic, security, migration, and defense sectors, according to diplomatic sources.

Key areas include civil aviation, the development of Rabat’s regional express rail network, water resource partnerships, and plans for an electricity interconnection project between the two countries.

Defense cooperation is also on the table, with discussions on potential arms partnerships. In the cultural sphere, both nations will formalize a strategic partnership between the Arab World Institute in Paris and Morocco’s Ministry of Culture.

France has elevated Morocco to a top priority in its Maghreb diplomacy, shifting away from its previous efforts to balance relations with Algiers.

On the critical Sahel security front, Paris appears increasingly reliant on Morocco as Algeria remains reluctant to share intelligence, despite the recent resumption of Franco-Algerian cooperation.