In a geopolitical context marked by major shifts in the western Mediterranean and the Sahel region, Rabat and Paris seek to anchor their cooperation in a long-term perspective. The idea of a structuring agreement, first mentioned during the state visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to Morocco in October 2024, is now taking shape through a broad diplomatic process. The ambition is to move beyond occasional disagreements and establish a stable, balanced, and predictable framework for decades to come.
According to information reported by Africa Intelligence, a joint commission composed of twelve personalities has been created to define the architecture of this future partnership. Inspired by European models such as the Élysée Treaty signed between France and Germany in 1963 and the Quirinal Treaty concluded with Italy in 2021, the initiative seeks to give Franco-Moroccan relations a lasting institutional foundation capable of withstanding political changes and temporary tensions.
On the Moroccan side, the commission notably includes Mustapha Terrab, CEO of the OCP Group, Chakib Benmoussa, High Commissioner for Planning and former ambassador to Paris, and Mounia Boucetta, Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The French delegation includes Jean-Louis Guigou, president of the Institut de Prospective Économique du Monde Méditerranéen, former justice minister Élisabeth Guigou, and former foreign minister Hubert Védrine. The composition of the group reflects the intention to give the project a comprehensive strategic scope, combining political, economic, and geopolitical dimensions.
The signing could take place during a state visit by King Mohammed VI to France, which would send a strong signal of the diplomatic thaw that began in 2024. Emmanuel Macron’s three-day trip to Rabat, marked by a notable official and popular welcome, had already symbolized the end of a period of tensions.
Bilateral relations had been strained by several sensitive issues, notably the reduction of visas granted to Moroccan citizens decided by Paris amid migration-related tensions, as well as disagreements surrounding the Western Sahara issue. However, 2024 marked a turning point. Speaking before the Moroccan Parliament, Emmanuel Macron publicly reaffirmed France’s support for Morocco’s sovereignty over the territory and announced the involvement of French economic actors in the development of the southern provinces.
Beyond the political gesture, France also committed to defending Morocco’s autonomy initiative as a basis for resolving the dispute within international institutions. The treaty currently under preparation is expected to translate this convergence into a durable institutional framework and open a new, more structured phase in relations between the two countries.
Translated from Abderrazzak Boussaid’s French article – le7tv