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Rabat – Princesses Lalla Meryem, Lalla Asmaa, and Lalla Hasna of the Moroccan royal family were received on Monday at the Elysee Palace for lunch, following instructions from King Mohammed VI, reports indicated. The reception was held at the invitation of the First Lady of France, Brigitte Macron, added the reports.
The luncheon reflects the historical friendship and long strategic relations between Morocco and France, according to a report from MAP.
Some observers have hailed the high-level visit as the start of a new chapter of Morocco-France relations in the wake of a two-year diplomatic tension due to divergences on the Western Sahara dispute and other matters of foremost importance to Morocco.
Political Analyst, and MWN Co-Founder, Samir Bennis stressed the significance of the visit in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
“It seems that Morocco and France are moving past the disagreements and tensions that have lasted for many years, and they are determined to open a new chapter in their relationship based on mutual respect, equality, and consideration of each country’s strategic interests. There are no coincidences in international relations,” Bennis wrote.
“When the First Lady of France receives Princesses Lalla Hasna and Lalla Meryem, sisters of King Mohammed VI, at the Élysée Palace, and the Moroccan Arab News Agency publishes this image, it is a clear indication that the two countries are about to embark on a new chapter in their relationship.”
Read also: French Ambassador Calls For Dialogue, Clarity on Western Sahara
The visit came three days after France’s newly-appointed Ambassador in Rabat, Christophe Lecourtier, expressed his country’s willingness to mend ties with Morocco.
In comments on Friday, Lecourtier said that it was necessary for France to clarify its stance on the Western Sahara dispute as it would be futile to plan a future of close cooperation and strong relations if the issue was not addressed.
France’s ambiguous stance on the Western Sahara dispute has been one of the most important factors in the growing tensions between Paris and Rabat.
Another factor was France’s decision in September 2021 to halve the visa quota for Moroccans.
While the French government has since promised to reverse this decision after widespread backlash, Moroccans continue to complain of humiliating treatment and unexplained delays when applying for visas to travel to France.
