Moroccan Sahara: Christophe Lecourtier’s visit to Laayoune highlights a forward-looking Franco-Moroccan partnership for the development of the southern provinces
The city of Laayoune, in the Moroccan Sahara, welcomed French Ambassador to Morocco Christophe Lecourtier on April 15, 2026, during an official visit marked by strong economic, educational and strategic dimensions. Lecourtier is also set to become the future head of the French Development Agency.
Accompanied by a high-level delegation, the ambassador began his visit with a series of meetings with key local officials, notably Abdeslam Bekrat, Sidi Hamdi Ould Errachid and Moulay Hamdi Ould Errachid. These talks provided an opportunity to reaffirm the strength of the partnership between Morocco and France, as well as their shared commitment to promoting the economic and social development of the southern provinces.
One of the highlights of the visit was the official inauguration of the new campus of the Paul Pascon International French High School, in the presence of Christian Masset, president of the Mission Laïque Française network. Opened in 2012, the school was the first branch of the French education network in the region. Thanks to its new modern facilities, it will now be able to welcome up to 600 students, from kindergarten through high school, helping to strengthen educational opportunities and support local youth.
The inauguration reflects France’s continued commitment to education and training in Morocco while demonstrating the vitality of bilateral cooperation. It forms part of a shared vision centered on investing in human capital and encouraging the emergence of a new generation open to the world.
Lecourtier’s visit also served as an occasion to reaffirm France’s support for the overall development of the southern provinces, particularly through the actions of the French Development Agency, which is expected to play a key role in supporting major projects designed to directly benefit local populations.
In the same spirit, the announcement of the upcoming opening of a French Alliance center in Laayoune will further strengthen cultural and linguistic exchanges between the two countries, deepening the human and cultural ties linking Morocco and France.
Editorial team/le7tv
