At the invitation of King Mohammed VI, President Emmanuel Macron paid a three-day state visit to Rabat this October 28-30 that highlighted by the sealing of a strengthened and renewed exceptional partnership, paving the way for closer cooperation at all strategic levels.
Upon arrival in Rabat on Monday, King Mohammed VI received Macron and his wife at the airport and offered a Royal welcome to his guest as tens of thousands lined up the procession to the Royal palace to welcome Morocco’s guest and his high-profile accompanying delegation.
Following tête-à-tête talks in the Royal palace, the King and the President signed a joint declaration that set the tone for the next steps towards stronger Moroccan-French ties.
The declaration, one of the rare diplomatic documents signed by the King, expressed a strong commitment to work together to address shared challenges within the framework of a “Strengthened Exceptional Partnership,” which also provides for closer cooperation in vital fields such as food security, infrastructure, water management, security, defense, vaccines, energy transition, education and culture as well as cooperating in organizing global sports events.
And one of the highlights of the visit was undoubtedly the reaffirmation of France’s new position in support of Morocco’s sovereignty over its southern provinces, the Sahara, while recognizing the autonomy plan as the “only basis” for a solution to this regional dispute.
This stand, already announced in a letter he had sent to the King last July, was actually reiterated by Macron in a speech at the Moroccan Parliament.
“The present and the future of the Sahara lie in the framework of Morocco’s sovereignty,” said the President in a key quote that was met with a standing ovation by Moroccan MPs.
In his landmark speech, he urged French firms to invest in the southern provinces, where giants such as Engie have already engaged in sustainable energy projects.
In line with the French position in support of Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara, the French foreign ministry updated its maps to include the southern provinces in Morocco and said it will expand its consular services in the Sahara, where it also plans to set up a cultural center.
France’s clear-cut support for Morocco’s right to its territorial integrity and sovereignty over its southern provinces earned Paris and Macron the trust and the respect of Morocco, paving the way for tangible economic cooperation at all fields.
The visit also highlighted by the signing of 21 economic agreements at a ceremony under the chairmanship of King Mohammed VI and President Macron, evidencing the close ties between the two countries’ business elites and the enormous potential for economic cooperation.
The ceremony was a showcase of Morocco’s ambitions as an emerging economy set to modernize its infrastructure, ensure sustainable energy transition, develop its educational system and protect its cultural heritage.
In keeping with this momentum, the business elites from both countries held a summit that wrapped up with a series of deals covering finance, innovation, water management, and energy.