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Rabat – French President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron left Morocco this afternoon, wrapping up a historic three-day state visit.
Following a request by King Mohammed VI, Macron’s visit focused on boosting French-Moroccan cooperation at all levels, including sustainable agriculture and water management to promote regional security and economic development.
The visit’s key point came at the Rabat Royal Palace on Monday, where Macron and King Mohammed VI signed 22 agreements covering a wide range of sectors, including food security, energy, and railway.
Worth €10 billion, the agreements signed between the two countries aim to bolster their bilateral ties for years to come, the royal palace said in a statement.
Another highlight of Macron’s was his historic speech on Tuesday to both houses of the Moroccan parliament, where he reaffirmed support for Morocco’s territorial integrity and sovereignty over its southern provinces in Western Sahara.
In his speech, Macron renewed France’s steadfast support for Morocco’s territorial integrity, saying that the “present and future” of the region lie in its full integration within Morocco.
Macron further emphasized the importance of Morocco’s 2007 Autonomy Plan, describing it as the only basis for achieving a just, lasting, and negotiated political solution.
“This is the position that France will implement to support Morocco in international forums,” Macron said, adding that his country’s new position is “not hostile to anyone.”
Read also: Macron: France Should Take Inspiration from Morocco’s Holistic Water Management Approach
As part of its decision to wholeheartedly embrace Morocco’s stance on the Sahara dispute, France has updated all of its government-affiliated websites with an undivided map of Morocco with its southern provinces.
Morocco welcomed France’s move, with Foreign Affairs Minister Nasser Bourita stressing that “this is a new phase and a new chapter for our deep and meaningful relationship, opened by the recent discussions between our leaders.”
Macron’s three-day state visit also included his participation in a food security-themed event organized by the OCP Group today.
During the meeting, he highlighted OCP’s contributions and initiatives – and also expressed satisfaction with Morocco’s water management.
Describing the Moroccan approach as holistic, he said France should take inspiration from the North African country’s strategy.
