Rabat: The Moroccan-French partnership is experiencing its most important and strongest momentum at all levels, Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation, and Moroccan Expatriates Nasser Bourita said on Wednesday in Rabat. Speaking at a press briefing following talks with French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-No«l Barrot, held on the sidelines of the 2nd Ministerial Conference on Peacekeeping in a Francophone Environment, co-chaired by Morocco and France, Bourita stressed that this partnership contributes not only to strengthening relations between the two countries but also has an impact on security and stability at the regional level.
According to Agence Marocaine De Presse, Barrot’s visit, within the framework of this conference, comes in a very positive context for the Moroccan-French partnership, strengthened during the State visit in October 2024 by President Emmanuel Macron and his talks with His Majesty King Mohammed VI. Since then, more than 40 meetings have brought together Moroccan and French ministers, illustrating the strength of bilateral relations. These meetings have largely contributed to consolidating partnerships in several fields, notably economic, security, consular, and human affairs.
They have also made it possible, in implementation of the High Instructions of His Majesty the King and the French President, to open new prospects for advanced cooperation in key sectors such as cybersecurity, defense industries, and aeronautics. These sectors reflect “a strong and technology-oriented partnership focused on the future between Morocco and France.”
Moreover, the 2nd Ministerial Conference on Peacekeeping in a Francophone Environment aims to transform the significant contribution of Francophone countries to peacekeeping operations into a real lever of influence and concrete tools serving security, stability, and peacebuilding within the Francophone sphere and beyond. The “Rabat Declaration,” adopted during this conference, will serve as a reference for Francophone countries in their contribution to the reform of United Nations peacekeeping operations scheduled for the coming months.
This Declaration insists on the need to adapt peacekeeping missions to realities on the ground and to avoid terminology or mandates that have become outdated and unsuited to developments in the field. After praising the French contribution to the success of this conference, Bourita assured that Morocco and France will continue their action as co-chairs to present the conclusions of the “Rabat Declaration” to States and within the United Nations, aiming to make it a reference in the management and reform of peacekeeping operations at the UN level.
The meeting with Barrot provided an opportunity to discuss several regional and international issues and commend France’s clear position regarding the Moroccan Sahara issue. This position was followed by structured actions and initiatives moving toward an objective shared by the leaders of the two countries, seeking to end the regional dispute with its human consequences and repercussions on the stability and economy of the region.
Bourita highlighted the opportunity to resolve this regional dispute within the framework of the Autonomy Plan under Moroccan sovereignty as the sole basis for settlement. He affirmed that the French position aligns with that of the United Nations as expressed in UN Security Council Resolution 2797, expressing hope for positive results that would end this artificial conflict.
Discussions also covered the situation in the Middle East, the Sahel-Saharan region, and Africa, noting the convergence of views and the determination of both countries to act together as partners in favor of stability and development on the African continent.