RABAT — Morocco and France are preparing to sign a landmark treaty intended to deepen bilateral ties during an upcoming state visit by King Mohammed VI, the foreign ministers of both countries said Wednesday.
Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita told reporters after talks with his French counterpart Jean-Noël Barrot that the agreement would mark Morocco’s first treaty with a European nation. The ministers did not give a date for the king’s visit or disclose details of the pact.
Bourita said relations have markedly improved since Paris recognised Rabat’s sovereignty over Western Sahara in 2024, pointing to closer cooperation in defence, security and aeronautics. Barrot described the project as “the first treaty of its kind with a non-European country,” and said it aims to establish a framework for long-term partnership.
Neither side outlined the treaty’s specific provisions. Barrot reiterated France’s support for renewed direct talks on Western Sahara based on autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty, in line with UN Security Council resolution 2797, a stance that has strained Paris’s relations with Algeria, which backs the Polisario Front seeking independence for the territory.
Barrot also noted Morocco’s role as France’s top economic partner in Africa and as a logistical and financial conduit to parts of the continent. He said Morocco’s influence in West Africa and the Sahel has grown where France has reduced its presence, citing Moroccan expansion in sectors such as trade, fertilisers, banking, telecommunications and construction.