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Rabat – On a visit to Laayoune today, French Ambassador Christophe Lecourtier, described Morocco’s southern provinces as a “new horizon for France’s strategic actions,” pointing to the region’s economic potential and the importance of strengthening partnerships as a core element of France-Morocco cooperation.
The ambassador’s visit included a high-level delegation of French business leaders and economic representatives actively exploring investment prospects in Laayoune and Dakhla.
The visit embodied the spirit of cultural exchange, as Lecourtier was seen wearing traditional Sahrawi attire called “Daraa.”
“Our goal is to implement these emerging projects as quickly as possible,” Lecourtier said, indicating France’s readiness to capitalize on economic opportunities in the region, which he described as rich with potential.
A central feature of the visit was an economic roadshow, organized by the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Morocco. This event gathered about 50 French executives and business leaders to discover partnership opportunities in Laayoune-Sakia El Hamra.
Lecourtier noted that the roadshow served as a key platform for fostering direct connections with Moroccan project leaders, exploring partnerships, and assessing specific investment prospects. He added that the visit aligns with France’s broader strategy to deepen economic ties with Morocco, especially by seizing new opportunities in the southern regions.
France’s economic interest in Morocco’s southern provinces reflects a recent message from President Emmanuel Macron, who, during his October state visit, reaffirmed France’s commitment to supporting Morocco’s sovereignty and territorial integrity in the Western Sahara.
In a historic address to the Moroccan Parliament, Macron declared that the future of the southern provinces lies within Moroccan sovereignty and pledged France’s support for development projects in the region.
During Lecourtier’s visit, the French delegation met with prominent local officials, including Regional Council President Sidi Hamdi Ould Errachid as well as Wali Abdeslam Bekrate, in which he affirmed France’s intent to actively support the region’s economic growth.
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