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Doha – In a landmark visit to Rabat, French President Emmanuel Macron and his delegation signed 22 agreements with Morocco on Monday, October 28, aiming to bolster bilateral ties across various sectors.
The state visit, the first of its kind in recent years, marked a significant step towards revitalizing the historical partnership between the two nations.
The agreements, signed in the presence of King Mohammed VI and President Macron, cover a wide range of areas, including education, energy, water, and internal security.
The ceremony took place at the Royal Palace following a formal welcome for the French delegation, which included nine ministers and several prominent business leaders.
Among the key objectives of the visit, as stated by French Minister of Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot, was to “refound” the relationship between France and Morocco while also setting ambitious goals for the coming decades.
The extensive list of agreements and the diverse composition of the French delegation underscore the breadth and depth of the bilateral cooperation.
French Minister of Education Anne Genetet told the press that the education agreement, spanning from 2024 to 2026, is crucial for fostering new initiatives and in-depth cooperation between France and Morocco.
The accord aims to support Morocco’s ongoing education system reform, set to be completed by 2030.
Genetet emphasized the significance of exchanging expertise to achieve these goals, stating: “It’s also about ‘accompanying’ Morocco in the framework of its education system reform by 2030, through the exchange of expertise.”
Minister of Economy, Finance, and Industry Antoine Armand expressed pride in the collaborative work between French companies like ALSTOM, EGIS, and VOSSLOH and their Moroccan counterparts.
In a statement to the press, he said: “I am very proud to see the work of ALSTOM, EGIS, and VOSSLOH with Moroccan companies, which shows that we are moving forward together on partnerships of future technologies.”
Read also: Macron in Morocco: Back to the Future
Armand noted that the rail sector is an area where Morocco and France share a long history of partnership and praised the “very beautiful cooperations” between the two countries in the fields of economy, industry, and energy.
Bruno Retailleau, French Minister of the Interior, described President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Morocco as a celebration of the longstanding friendship between Rabat and Paris.
Speaking to the press, Retailleau said: “I am very happy to be part of the delegation accompanying the President of the Republic to Morocco.”
He signed two significant agreements during the visit: a Declaration of Intent on strengthening cooperation in civil protection and another on enhancing collaboration in the fight against wildfires, particularly through the use of water bombers and aerial techniques.
Retailleau added: “The first [agreement] is a Declaration of Intent on strengthening cooperation in civil protection, which will allow us to develop relations and exchanges in the field of civil security on important topics.”
Minister of Culture Rachida Dati emphasized the growing importance of cultural cooperation between Morocco and France.
In a statement to the press, she said, “Morocco and France have signed several agreements allowing them to develop genuine exchanges in all professions related to culture, art, cinema, and heritage.”
Dati, who is of Moroccan origin, also praised the country’s strong commitment to preserving its heritage and history, adding: “Everything we do with Morocco is historic because there is humanity in our relations.”
The French delegation’s visit to Morocco comes amidst a backdrop of recent tensions between the two countries, including suspicions of phone tapping targeting Emmanuel Macron and a reduction in the number of visas granted to Moroccans in 2021-2022.
However, both heads of state have expressed their desire to overcome past disagreements and project their partnership into the future.
