Rabat – France Minister of Culture Rachida Dati arrived in southern Morocco on Monday for an official visit alongside her Moroccan counterpart, Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid.
The trip follows France’s recognition of Morocco’s Autonomy Plan over the region and reflects a shift in cultural and political engagement.
The visit began in Tarfaya, where the two ministers toured the historic Casa del Mar, a landmark set for restoration.
They also stopped at Tarfaya’s Kasbah and the Antoine de Saint-Exupéry Museum, housed in the former residence of the French writer and aviator.
The two ministers visited Laayoune, where Dati and Bensaid inaugurated the Alliance Française, a cultural center that is designed to offer new capabilities and opportunities for exchange to the local communities.
They also visited the Mohammed VI Library, a major Moroccan cultural institution.
The tour was widened to Dakhla, where the two ministers inaugurated a new branch of The Higher Institute of Audiovisual and Cinema Professions (ISMAC).
The center will train young professionals in cinema and media, enhancing Morocco’s creative industry and providing means to access cultural training in the region.
Dati’s agenda in Morocco continues on Tuesday with further discussions and the signing of agreements in culture, arts, and cinema.
This trip marks the first visit by a French government official to Morocco’s southern provinces, reaffirming France’s evolving stance on the region.
Dati’s visit builds on President Emmanuel Macron’s state visit to Morocco last October, which marked a watershed moment in France’s North Africa policy.
This official trip reflects a new dawn of reciprocity and mutual respect in the two countries’ diplomatic relations.
