French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said Thursday that the launch of a call for expressions of interest for an electricity interconnection project between Morocco and France marks one of the countries’ most ambitious economic initiatives, aimed at integrating the two nations into the same value chains.
Speaking at a press conference following the 15th session of the Morocco-France High-Level Meeting, Lecornu highlighted the strategic investments made by major French companies in Morocco, as well as the growing role of small and medium-sized enterprises in sectors including transport, energy and advanced technologies.
Known as the “Mediterranean Bridge,” the Morocco-France electricity interconnection project aims to transmit clean electricity generated in northern Morocco directly to French and European markets to support decarbonization efforts.
The project is regarded as one of the flagship initiatives underpinning the strategic partnership between Rabat and Paris, despite technical challenges related to the route and infrastructure costs.
If completed, the interconnection would provide both countries with greater flexibility in responding to global energy challenges and accelerating climate change. For France, the project could strengthen energy security by reducing dependence on infrastructure controlled by other European countries. For Morocco, it would capitalize on the kingdom’s renewable energy potential and reinforce its role as an energy hub capable of attracting high-value investments.
A recent analysis by French energy company Selectra said the city of Marseille is positioning itself to become a key entry point for African green energy into Western Europe.
According to the analysis, the proposed route represents a departure from the traditional logic of electricity interconnections. Until now, the Iberian Peninsula has served as the main transit corridor for electricity flows between North Africa and Europe.
By opting for a direct submarine connection, the project would bypass the geographical and political constraints associated with the Pyrenees and Spain’s electricity infrastructure.
Selectra said the project would allow Morocco to integrate more closely into the European electricity network, while transforming Marseille from a commercial port into a major energy hub capable of receiving gigawatt-scale electricity imports without relying on routes through Spain.
The analysis added that France’s support for the initiative reflects a broader desire to maintain direct control over future energy supplies and avoid dependence on the pricing policies and infrastructure limitations of neighboring countries.
“Morocco is no longer simply a trading partner,” the report said, describing the kingdom as an emerging player in Europe’s energy transition. It pointed to Morocco’s substantial investments in solar and wind power, which have enabled the country to produce renewable electricity at costs that rival those in Europe.
The report concluded that the energy networks of the future will not necessarily follow the shortest routes, but rather those that offer the greatest degree of geopolitical independence.
As part of the strategic energy partnership between the two countries, Morocco’s Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, Leila Benali, met in April last year with several French officials, including Gérard Mestrallet, special envoy of French President Emmanuel Macron, and Xavier Piechaczyk, chief executive of France’s electricity transmission network.
The meeting focused on the progress of technical and economic studies related to the interconnection project, with participants stressing the importance of close cooperation and continued coordination between the institutions involved to accelerate its implementation.
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