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Rabat – Morocco’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Nasser Bourita, met in Paris today with his French counterpart, Stephane Sejourne, as the countries increasingly signal their readiness to mend their ties after years of tensions on many fronts.
The meeting took place at the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs and focused on enhancing bilateral relations between the two countries, according to a report from Le360.
The news comes on the heels of an agreement reached in Rabat a few weeks ago, where both ministers committed to maintaining regular diplomatic contacts to revitalize the political, economic, and cultural partnership between France and Morocco.
In recent months, France and Morocco have actively worked to give a new impetus to bilateral relations following years of diplomatic tensions.
France has shied away from taking a stance in the Western Sahara dispute for years, and its ambiguity on the dispute resulted in years of cold diplomatic relations with its long-standing African ally.
In recent months, however, Paris has actively worked to mend fences with Rabat, with the French FM Sejourne saying in February that France continues to support Morocco’s 2007-proposed autonomy plan and that a future of strong bilateral cooperation cannot be possible unless France takes a clear stance on the regional dispute.
While France is yet to officially endorse Morocco’s sovereignty over the Western Sahara, the European country is edging closer to embracing the Moroccan autonomy proposal, observers note.
On Thursday, France made a bold move toward supporting Morocco’s territorial integrity, announcing plans to support the country’s comprehensive development efforts in its Southern Provinces.
Read also: France Confirms Interest in Morocco’s Development Projects in Southern Provinces
On April 4, Franck Riester, the French Minister for External TradeC, announced in Casablanca that France would support Morocco in developing infrastructure and investments in the Western Sahara region.
Riester notably hinted at the possibility of Proparco, a subsidiary of the French Development Agency, contributing to financing a high-voltage line between Dakhla and Casablanca.
Meanwhile, there has been much speculation around a potential state visit by the French president to Morocco, but neither Paris nor Rabat has officially confirmed the report yet.
