The Prime Minister of France, Sébastien Lecornu, is leading a high-profile delegation of twelve ministers to Morocco today for the 15th High-Level Meeting (RHN) between the two nations. This visit underscores the deepening partnership and shared strategic priorities between France and Morocco.
The delegation includes key ministers such as Laurent Nunez (Interior), Catherine Vautrin (Defense), Roland Lescure (Economy), Annie Genevard (Agriculture), Jean-Noël Barrot (Foreign Affairs), Naïma Moutchou (Overseas Territories), Catherine Pégard (Culture), Philippe Tabarot (Transport), Sabrina Roubache (Vocational Education), Anne Le Hénanff (Artificial Intelligence), Nicolas Forissier (Foreign Trade), and Éléonore Caroit (Francophonie).
Representatives from the French Parliament, Senator Christian Cambon and Deputy Karim Ben Cheikh, will also participate, meeting with their Moroccan counterparts to further bilateral ties.
Reviving a strategic dialogue framework
The 15th RHN, hosted at Morocco’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs with both heads of government present, marks a significant resumption of a dialogue mechanism established in 1997. The last meeting took place in Paris in December 2019.
This meeting follows the reinforced exceptional partnership agreement signed in October 2024 between King Mohammed VI and President Emmanuel Macron. The discussions will assess ongoing projects and outline new priorities for bilateral cooperation.
Key focus areas in the partnership
The agenda covers a wide range of sectors, including:
- Domestic security and cross-border crime prevention
- Combating irregular migration, organized crime, and drug trafficking
- Cultural exchanges and agricultural development
- Infrastructure modernization, water resource management, and public administration reform
- Advancements in artificial intelligence and defense industries
- Preparations for the 2030 FIFA World Cup hosted jointly by Morocco, Spain, and Portugal
On the economic front, major projects are already underway, such as the expansion of Safran Electronics & Defense’s industrial site and Alstom’s new manufacturing facility in Fez.
A landmark agreement in the making
The meeting will feature a plenary session to discuss common priorities, followed by a synthesis presented by the foreign affairs ministers. The event will conclude with the signing of around fifteen agreements in critical areas such as:
- Decentralized cooperation and regional development
- Expansion of the Rabat Regional Express Rail (RER)
- Water resource management and sustainable development in the Casablanca-Settat region
- Civil aviation collaboration and film industry partnerships
- Promotion of Arabic language and history-geography education in French schools
This gathering also serves as a stepping stone toward a future bilateral treaty between France and Morocco, designed to solidify long-term collaboration ahead of King Mohammed VI’s upcoming state visit to France.
