French-moroccan high-level meeting Rabat to strengthen strategic ties

French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu is leading a 12-member ministerial delegation to Rabat today to attend the 15th French-Moroccan High-Level Meeting (RHN), a pivotal gathering aimed at revitalizing the strategic partnership between France and Morocco.

The delegation includes key figures such as Interior Minister Laurent Nunez, Economy Minister Roland Lescure, Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, and Culture Minister Catherine Pégard, among others. Senators and deputies like Christian Cambon and Karim Ben Cheikh will also participate in discussions with Morocco’s parliamentary leaders.

Enhancing bilateral cooperation

This high-level meeting, held at Morocco’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, marks a significant step forward in a dialogue framework established in 1997. The last session took place in Paris in December 2019, making this year’s gathering long-awaited.

The meeting builds on the strengthened exceptional partnership agreed upon in October 2024 between King Mohammed VI and President Emmanuel Macron. Its goal is to assess ongoing projects and set new priorities for bilateral cooperation.

Discussions will cover critical areas such as internal security, irregular migration, organized crime, drug trafficking, agriculture, infrastructure, water management, public sector modernization, artificial intelligence, defense industries, and preparations for the 2030 FIFA World Cup.

Economic initiatives already underway include the expansion of Safran Electronics & Defense’s industrial site and Alstom’s new production facility in Fès.

The agenda includes bilateral talks between the two prime ministers, sector-specific ministerial meetings, a plenary session on shared priorities, and a concluding presentation by the foreign affairs ministers.

One of the key outcomes will be the signing of around 15 agreements in strategic sectors such as decentralized cooperation, Rabat’s Regional Express Rail (RER), water resource development, the Casablanca-Settat region, civil aviation, cinema, artist residencies, and the teaching of Arabic and geography-history in French schools.

This meeting also paves the way for a future Franco-Moroccan bilateral treaty, designed to solidify long-term collaboration ahead of King Mohammed VI’s upcoming state visit to France.