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Rabat – French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron arrived this evening in Rabat for a State visit as part of his country’s political agenda seeking to boost bilateral ties with Morocco.
King Mohammed VI, Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan and Prince Moulay Rachid received Macron and his wife at the Rabat Sale airport.
Princess Lalla Khadija and Princess Lalla Meryem attended the reception ceremony.
The agenda will kick off with a meeting with King Mohammed VI, followed by discussions with Moroccan officials and the signing of different agreements.
On Tuesday, Macron is set to meet with various senior Moroccan officials, including Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch, and speakers of the Moroccan parliament, Rachid Talbi Alami, Mohamed Ould Errachid.
Macron will also deliver a speech before the Moroccan parliament, followed by a lunch hosted by the French president, his wife, and a French-Moroccan cultural delegation. Tuesday will also include a dinner offered by the King to Macron and his wife at the royal palace.
A high-level French delegation, including experts and officials from different industrial companies, is expected to also conduct business alongside Macron in Morocco this week.
High-level officials accompanying the French president will include Bruno Tetailleau, Minister of Interior; Anne Genetet, Minister of National Education; Jean-Noel Barrot, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs and Rachida Dati, Minister of Culture.
The visit, which aims to strengthen bilateral relations between France and Morocco, comes just after the European country officially recognized Morocco’s sovereignty over its southern provinces in Western Sahara in July.
In the announcement of this decision, Macron said that Paris’ new policy foundationally believes that “the present and future of Western Sahara fall within the framework of Moroccan sovereignty.”
The French president further emphasized that his country’s position remains consistent and unwavering, aligning with the autonomy plan proposed by Morocco in 2007.
Prior to this diplomatic turn, the countries have experienced political crises due to several challenges, including Morocco-bashing campaigns by the leading French media.
Many politicians and observers in the North African country had linked some of these recent anti-Morocco campaigns by EU bodies to France. A number of European Parliament resolutions have accused Morocco of “intimidating” and “harassing” journalists and activists.
King Mohammed VI recognized France’s monumental decision in a speech earlier this month. Applauding Paris’ official stance, the King expressed gratitude to Macron for unequivocally supporting and regarding the Sahara as a Moroccan territory.
“Through this positive development, justice and legitimacy have been upheld and so have Morocco’s historical rights, especially since this recognition emanates from a major country, which is a permanent member of the Security Council and an influential player on the global stage,” the King said on October 11.
An overview report on Morocco-France ties from the French government details that trade exchanges between the two countries have progressed to reach €14.1 billion in 2023.
This number represents a 5% increase compared to 2022, with the report adding that this growth is driven by French imports of transport equipment, including automobiles.
Highlighting Morocco’s prowess in the automotive industry, the Elysee highlighted that French exports to the North African country have also increased since 2021.
French exports to Morocco account for 9.1% of France’s sales, with €6.7 billion in 2023 – a 9% rise between 2019 and 2023.
The report attributes this growth to come from the cereals and wheat industry, adding that the war in Ukraine led Morocco to rethink its cereal supply chains by favoring French producers.
“As the main source of foreign currency for the Kingdom, France remains the largest foreign investor in Morocco, with a stock of foreign direct investment (FDI) amounting to €8.1 billion at the end of 2022, ahead of the United Arab Emirates, Spain, Switzerland, and Kuwait,” the report further said.
This makes Morocco the top destination for French foreign direct investment in Africa.
French investments in Morocco cover all sectors, but the focus is primarily in real estate, the industrial sector (including automotive), commerce, and financial activities.
