Join on WhatsApp
Join on Telegram
Rabat – Morocco and France are increasingly showing signs of new advances in their long-damaged diplomatic relations, with Moroccan Industry Minister Ryad Mezzour announcing today that the two countries are determined to reach tailored solutions for better trade cooperation.
Mezzour made his remarks during a meeting with France’s Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade, Franck Riester, who landed in Morocco today for a two-day visit to discuss the need to repair the now damaged but strategic partnership between Paris and Rabat.
Speaking at the meeting, Mezzour emphasized that the gathering is part of ongoing discussions aimed at analyzing the trade process for Moroccan and French entrepreneurs and facilitating access to European, African, and global markets for mutual or specific products of both countries.
Mezzour stressed the importance of boosting significant and balanced Moroccan-French relations, highlighting the two countries’ development potential.
Riester echoed the same sentiment, stressing the need to develop deep partnerships between the two countries to address common challenges such as economic transition, decarbonization, mobility, and digital transition.
The French minister advocated for accelerating the regionalization of value chains and projecting them together in Africa through meetings that bring together economic actors at different levels, including aerospace, automotive, rail transport, sustainable cities, and renewable energies, among other sectors.
Paris and Rabat have reaffirmed their commitment to work together to mend their damaged but essential bilateral relations.
For years, many observers in Morocco have expressed frustration over France’s ambiguity on the Western Sahara question, stressing that this was the main factor in Rabat’s assertiveness in reconsidering the terms of its formerly strategic cooperation with Paris.
Since France’s French Foreign Minister visited Rabat in February, however, the two countries have increasingly signaled their readiness to work together to address challenges that diplomatic ties witnessed.
Yet it remains to be seen whether the French foreign trade minister will confirm recent reports of his country’s plans to invest in development projects in Morocco’s southern provinces.
If confirmed, this move will be France’s boldest step in decades in support of Morocco’s Western Sahara position
