French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu is making his first official visit to Morocco from July 15 to 16, leading a delegation of about a dozen ministers as the two countries seek to further strengthen bilateral cooperation.
The visit comes as relations between Paris and Rabat have deepened significantly since French President Emmanuel Macron’s three-day state visit to the Kingdom in 2024, which saw France endorse Morocco’s autonomy plan for the Sahara and the signing of agreements worth up to €10 billion.
According to French outlet Le Monde, Lecornu, who arrived in Rabat on Wednesday, is accompanied by a high-level delegation of 12 ministers for France-Morocco high-level bilateral meetings, a format launched in 1996.
The meetings, the outlet said, are expected to mark the beginning of a new phase in bilateral relations and could pave the way for King Mohammed VI’s anticipated visit to France in October or November.
Last May, Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita and his French counterpart, Jean-Noël Barrot, announced that King Mohammed VI is planning a state visit to France, which would include the signing of an unprecedented Morocco-France treaty.
The agreement would be Morocco’s first treaty of its kind with a European country.
Le Monde reported that French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez is expected to discuss security and migration cooperation with his Moroccan counterpart, Abdelouafi Laftit.
It added that the delegation may include several business leaders as France seeks to advance the “new strategic framework” announced by President Emmanuel Macron during his October 2024 visit to Morocco.
The agenda also includes a session for the signing of agreements, though the source did not provide any further details.
Le Monde additionally reported that the talks are expected to focus on several strategic projects, including a proposed undersea electricity interconnection between France and Morocco, and the development of Morocco’s civilian nuclear sector.
According to France’s RFI, Lecornu’s visit is expected to build on the economic momentum following President Emmanuel Macron’s 2024 visit, which resulted in 42 agreements and investment projects.
The outlet noted that the prime minister’s trip will focus on implementing those commitments rather than making major new announcements.
The discussions are also expected to cover priority sectors such as rail, with French companies involved in the Tangier-Marrakech high-speed rail line, as well as green hydrogen, agriculture, and education, highlighting progress made on projects launched since 2024.
France 24 reported that Morocco has now become a priority for French diplomacy in the Maghreb, with Paris no longer seeking to maintain a balance with Algeria at all costs.
The outlet noted that France seems to be relying on Rabat to strengthen ties with several sub-Saharan African countries.
This comes as Paris seeks to restore influence in a region where it faces growing hostility and a shrinking presence.
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