First of its kind: Morocco signs a treaty with France described as "historic"”

Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita and his French counterpart Jean-Noël Barrot announced on Wednesday that a state visit by King Mohammed VI to Paris is scheduled, without specifying a date, and will be preceded by a meeting of the joint high committee between the two countries next July.

Moroccan-French relations

Both sides in Rabat confirmed that the visit will include a Moroccan-French treaty described as ”historic,” the first of its kind for Morocco with a European country, and for France with a non-European country in terms of ambition and strategic framework.

Conference Presidency

The two ministers chaired the second ministerial conference on peacekeeping in the Francophone space.

The visit aims to cement the end of the disputes and deepen the "exceptional partnership" between Morocco and France, which may soon culminate in the signing of a strategic friendship treaty between the two countries.

With the participation of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the Secretary-General of the Francophonie Organization, and about 50 ministerial delegations from different continents, the city of Rabat hosted the second ministerial conference on peacekeeping in the Francophone space, which is co-chaired by France and Morocco, after Paris hosted the first edition of this conference in October 2016.

old disputes

The first conference took place in circumstances where relations between Paris and Rabat were experiencing disputes and tensions that lasted for a long time under President Macron’s rule, while this year Moroccan-French relations are witnessing a major transformation, rapprochement and deepening of the strategic partnership. This came during 2024 and France’s adoption of Morocco’s position on sovereignty over Western Sahara, followed by a state visit by President Emmanuel Macron to Rabat and a deterioration in relations between Paris and Algeria.