The 15th session of the Morocco-France High-Level Meeting opened yesterday in Rabat, co-chaired by the Head of Government, Aziz Akhannouch, and French Prime Minister SébastienLecornu.
This meeting is being held to celebrate the strengthened exceptional partnership between Morocco and France, under the leadership of the two Heads of State, His Majesty King Mohammed VI and French President Emmanuel Macron.
This high-level meeting, which was preceded by several bilateral meetings between members of the two countries’ governments, was marked by the signing of several agreements aimed at injecting new momentum into Moroccan-French relations.
Speaking at the opening of this meeting, the Moroccan Head of Government stated that the 15th Morocco-France High-Level Meeting (HLM) between Morocco and France constitutes “the first concrete governmental implementation of the new political framework” established by His Majesty King Mohammed VI and the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, during the French President’s state visit to the Kingdom in October 2024
Mr. Akhannouch also emphasized that this meeting, far from being a mere reactivation of an institutional mechanism, reflects the strengthened exceptional partnership that has opened a new chapter in relations between the two countries and charted an ambitious course based on a strong political convergence, renewed economic momentum, and a shared commitment to shaping the future together.
“We have also been entrusted with the mission of developing new projects and ensuring their implementation, in the very best interests of both our peoples, in the spirit of the exceptional partnership that binds us. We are both committed to doing our utmost to ensure that His Majesty’s upcoming state visit to France solidifies this ambition and gives it its full meaning,” explained the French official.
He continued: “It is also in the interest of our two peoples that we work toward our common security, and I would like to commend the excellent cooperation between our agencies in combating the threat of terrorism, drug trafficking, human trafficking, and irregular migration”.
This 15th Morocco-France High-Level Meeting was marked by the signing of 14 agreements between the two countries, including a letter of intent on cooperation in the area of feminist foreign policy, an annex to the technical arrangement in the field of civil aviation, a partnership agreement between the Écolenationalesupérieure maritime (ENSM) in France and the Institutsupérieurd’étudesaritimes (ISEM) in Morocco, as well as AFD loan agreements for the Rabat RER and for water policy.
The other agreements cover additional areas of cooperation, including a “declaration of intent on the teaching of Arabic and history and geography in the French education system,” a “strategic partnership agreement between the Arab World Institute and the Ministry of Youth, Culture, and Communication,” and a “draft framework agreement on scientific cooperation between CIRAD and IAV.”
In addition, the two parties signed a cooperation agreement between Groupe La Poste and Barid Al Maghrib, a framework agreement for cooperation between CEREMA and LPEE, a letter of intent on artist residencies, and a letter of intent on Morocco’s participation in the Fund for African Authors and Producers. These legal frameworks are supplemented by the terms of reference for the bilateral “defense industry” committee and a “technical arrangement on military archives.”
Regarding the issue of the Moroccan Sahara, during a press briefing following this High-Level Meeting, the French Prime Minister reaffirmed France’s “non-negotiable” position in support of Morocco’s sovereignty over its Sahara. “This position, I repeat here, is non-negotiable. It will not change, and, as you know, we act accordingly,” stated Lecornu.
The French Prime Minister further emphasized that “France stands by Morocco, loyally and faithfully,” highlighting the “clarity” of the position expressed by French President Emmanuel Macron in his message to King Mohammed VI on the occasion of Throne Day on July 30, 2024.
In that message, President Macron had officially affirmed his view that the present and future of the Sahara fall within the framework of Moroccan sovereignty.
