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Rabat – On July 30 of last year, President Emmanuel Macron sent King Mohammed VI a game-changer of a letter, with the French President announcing France’s unwavering position, for which the present and future of Western Sahara fall within the framework of Moroccan sovereignty.
In his letter, which came as Morocco celebrated Throne Day, the anniversary of King Mohammed VI’s accession to the throne, the French president highlighted the monarch’s transformative leadership and how his vision has helped pave the way for a realistic and lasting end to the Western Sahara conflict.
Western Sahara momentum
Over 120 countries now support Morocco’s Autonomy Plan as the only political solution to end the dispute over Western Sahara. France is among this community, which sees the present and future of Western Sahara fall within the framework of Moroccan sovereignty.
France’s ambassador to Morocco, Christophe Lecourtier, recently echoed these sentiments in an exclusive interview with Morocco World News (MWN), stressing that Paris’s newfound position on the Sahara question has helped remove long-standing ambiguity and opened a new cycle of trust between the two countries.
“The Sahara issue is a central political matter for Morocco and a structuring element of the bilateral relationship,” said the ambassador.
After a few years of friction between Paris and Rabat, driven by multiple factors, the two countries are moving forward to strengthen their new chapter of cooperation. France has in recent months repeatedly renewed its commitment to support Morocco’s territorial integrity, pledging investments in Western Sahara while describing Morocco’s Autonomy Plan as the only credible path to a viable and lasting peace in the region.
France’s decision to fully embrace the Moroccan plan for the Sahara and open a new chapter in its bilateral relationship with Morocco is part of a broader push to deepen an “already exceptional relationship, based on human, economic, cultural, and security ties of rare depth,” Ambassador Lecourtier told MWN.
France’s ambition is to build a “next-generation partnership,” passing to future governments this legacy of commitment to boosting cooperation with Morocco at all levels, including energy transition, AI, industrial sovereignty, and cultural and creative industries, he explained.
“It is also about ensuring that the best of French expertise is present to offer Morocco compelling solutions as the country prepares for major upcoming milestones,” Lecourtier added.
Resolution 2797 is ‘a major diplomatic breakthrough’
Asked about the UN Security Council’s recent adoption of Resolution 2797, which has historically sealed Morocco’s Autonomy Plan as the only viable political horizon for the Western Sahara region, Lecourtier described the resolution as a “major diplomatic breakthrough.”
For Lecourtier, Macron’s letter to King Mohammed VI in July 2024 “gave decisive momentum to this international dynamic.”
The Security Council adopted Resolution 2797 on October 31 this year, endorsing Morocco’s Autonomy Plan as the only genuine path to a realistic political process to end the dispute over Western Sahara.
Lecourtier said the resolution aligns with France’s position, which he argued has advocated for a realistic and ambitious political approach to the UN Security Council.
Eleven of the Council’s fifteen-member countries voted in favor of the resolution. China, Pakistan, and Russia abstained while Algeria boycotted the vote in protest of the pro-Morocco momentum.
Lecourtier emphasized how, throughout the drafting, negotiating and voting process, France’s highest authorities “maintained close contact and continuous dialogue” with all stakeholders to ensure the adoption of an ambitious resolution.
He also recalled that King Mohammed VI, in the rather extraordinary speech he gave on the night of October 31 following the vote, recognized France’s contributions to the current state of affairs on the Sahara dossier.
The speech followed street celebrations across the country, where Moroccans rallied, danced, and chanted patriotic slogans while waving flags to highlight the historic resolution vote.
“I would like to mention, in particular, the United States of America, under the leadership of our friend His Excellency President Donald Trump, whose efforts have paved the way for a final settlement of this conflict. I also wish to thank our friends in Britain, Spain, and especially France, for their efforts to ensure the success of this peaceful process,” King Mohammed VI said in his speech.
Lecourtier emphasized that the resolution opened a historic opportunity to resolve the Sahara dispute based on the autonomy initiative, reiterating his country’s support for these efforts and for the full implementation of Resolution 2797.
Morocco-France Partnership DNA is good
France is also seeking to convert efforts into measures that invigorate cooperation and trade between the two countries, particularly emphasizing its commitment to contributing to the development of Morocco’s southern provinces.
Lecourtier lauded King Mohammed VI’s 2015 Development Model for Morocco’s Sahara region, describing it as an instrument that has injected “strong local momentum” and unprecedented development in southern regions.
The ambassador spoke of witnessing the results of the impressive development efforts during different ground visits to the region, recalling France’s recent announcement of investments to contribute to the already impressive economic and social transformations taking place in the provinces.
“France has sought to match words with actions, notably by extending its financing to all these territories through our public development aid and export financing,” he told MWN.
Ambassador Lecourtier notably recalled a high-level meeting Dakhla hosted this past October 9, bringing over 40 French business leaders.
“The development of this territory also involves major investments in infrastructure, including electricity, digital, and port facilities,” he said in the interview.
Trade and more
Morocco and France trade cooperation stood at €15 billion in recent estimates, an indicator that reflects the uniqueness of the Morocco-France partnership DNA, the ambassador said.
In October last year, Macron’s State visit, following France’s decision to recognize Morocco’s sovereignty over its southern provinces, King Mohammed VI and the French president chaired the signing of 22 agreements to further deepen French-Moroccan ties in a wide range of strategic areas.
The deals span different sectors from transport and energy to cultural cooperation.
The agreements included a contract between Morocco’s Railway Office and French multinational Alstom to supply high-speed trains and related support across Morocco.
Ambassador Lecourtier said this deepening partnership between the two countries is built on “long-term investments,” describing France as the largest foreign investor in Morocco.
He also recalled that France is Morocco’s top destination for its outbound investments.
As it reviews its Maghreb engagement policy, the ambassador suggested, France’s goal is to further support Morocco in its model of integrating value chains within a framework of shared sovereignty.
He notably cited the inauguration of Safran’s engine assembly and maintenance center in Nouaceur in October this year as a particularly illustrative example of this newfound shift.
“Our ambition is clear,” Lecourtier said, stressing the importance of making French and Moroccan small and medium enterprises the pillars of economic cooperation between the two countries.
“These companies, which I like to call the ‘reserve army’ of our partnership, are essential drivers of innovation, employment, and shared growth.”
Cooperation between the two countries also spans security. Africa remains a “shared strategic region” for both Paris and Rabat, Ambassador Lecourtier insisted, recalling that some of the two countries’ shared priorities include sustainable development, security, climate, migration, and food security.
In this regard, the ambassador described Morocco’s continental initiatives in support of the African Atlantic facade and the opening-up of Sahel countries as “both visionary and structuring.”
This Moroccan offer has very concrete prospects for regional economic transformation, he argued, stressing: “France aims to fully align itself with this dynamic, together with its European partners, to help build a more integrated, stable, and united Euro-African space.”
World Cup 2030, AFCON, and youth empowerment
Morocco has been making strides in different sectors, including sports. In less than two weeks, Morocco will host the largest tournament in Africa, AFCON. The prestigious continental event will kick off on December 21, with an opening game featuring Morocco vs Comoros.
In 2030, Morocco will also co-host the World Cup along with Spain and Portugal, making the North African kingdom a key destination not only for fans but also for investors seeking to capitalize on such grand events.
Lecourtier said such major tournaments are “tremendous accelerators of projects,” powerful drivers of economic and social development.
Asked about France’s plan to contribute to Morocco’s development in the field of sports, Lecourtier recalled the French-Moroccan committee jointly launched in April to support Morocco’s co-hosting of the 2030 FIFA World Cup.
“Its purpose is to facilitate exchanges between French and Moroccan operators and companies in anticipation of this major event,” Lecourtier said.
He also extended his good luck wishes to the Atlas Lions as they prepare to play in AFCON, saying: “We will be following the Atlas Lions’ journey with great enthusiasm, hoping the team goes all the way in the competition.”
Beyond sports, the French ambassador described ties between Paris and Rabat as essentially a “human relationship,” reiterating his country’s commitment to continue empowering youth.
He particularly pointed out the high number of Moroccan students who pursue their higher education in France – 43, 000.
“Moroccan students remain the largest foreign student community in France,” Lecourtier said, renewing commitment to continue supporting academic mobility through scholarships, including the 1,000 PhD mobility program and the Africa Sup network, which structures the French university presence in Morocco.
“The Casablanca Alumni House — the first of its kind in the world — as well as cooperation in innovative sectors such as video gaming, illustrate our shared commitment to training the talents of tomorrow,” he explained.
A smooth and equitable process for visa applicants
MWN asked the ambassador about France’s measures to address the challenges facing many Moroccans who have expressed concerns over visa delays or rejections.
The ambassador spoke of the concrete improvements made on this front, insisting that his country remains by far the “leading issuer” of Schengen visas to Moroccans.
“In 2024, nearly 280,000 visas were issued with an approval rate close to 90%, and a notable increase compared to 2023,” Lecourtier said.” “It will be slightly more this year”.
He emphasized that average processing times for visa applications are now “around ten days,” stressing that the country also secured access to appointments through a “random allocation system” that ensures “equal treatment and puts an end to fraudulent practices.”
Recently, TLS Contact announced measures seeking to eliminate fraudulent practices in the booking of Schengen visa appointments.
The company, which is responsible for managing French visa applications for Moroccans, started implementing on September 8 a new procedure aimed at verifying the identity of visa applicants through video calls conducted by company employees.
The measure seeks to protect applicants from fraud and ensure fairness in obtaining the required appointments.
It comes amid growing frustration among Moroccans over the exploitation of visa appointment slots, often monopolized at exorbitant prices by local broker networks.
Lecourtier also recalled that visa appointment centers have been modernized across Morocco, while a new one was opened in Laayoune, to fulfill applicants’ requests. Alongside that modernization, he concluded, “our objective is clear: to ensure a smoother, more transparent, and more equitable service for all applicants.”
