French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced on Thursday that the upcoming official visit of King Mohammed VI to France will culminate in the signing of an "unprecedented" friendship treaty, marking a new phase in the strategic partnership between Rabat and Paris.
Speaking at the opening of the 15th Morocco-France High-Level Meeting in Rabat, Lecornu said the future treaty would go beyond the Enhanced Exceptional Partnership framework launched during French President Emmanuel Macron's state visit to Morocco in October 2024.
He described the gathering as a key step toward translating the vision set by King Mohammed VI and President Macron into "practical and historic decisions" over the coming months, adding that the King's expected visit to Paris will open a new chapter in bilateral relations.
Lecornu noted that the Morocco-France High-Level Meeting mechanism, launched three decades ago during the late King Hassan II's official visit to France, has long served as a cornerstone of political, diplomatic, economic and cultural cooperation. Its resumption after several years, he said, reflects both countries' determination to restore momentum to their partnership.
The French prime minister highlighted the rapid pace of bilateral engagement since Macron's October 2024 visit, noting that France has hosted around 20 Moroccan ministers, while 16 French ministers have traveled to Morocco, underscoring what he described as an unprecedented level of political coordination.
He said Thursday's meeting would assess progress in implementing agreements reached by the two leaders and focus on priority areas including security, counterterrorism, regional and international coordination, Morocco-European Union cooperation, and joint efforts to promote stability and development across Africa.
Lecornu also stressed that the presence of a 12-member French ministerial delegation demonstrates Paris' commitment to elevating ties with Morocco through deeper cooperation across strategic sectors and major joint projects.
For his part, Moroccan Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch described the meeting as the first governmental implementation of the new political framework established by King Mohammed VI and President Macron during the French leader's visit to Morocco.
Akhannouch said the meeting marks the transition from political consensus to the practical implementation of joint projects, laying the foundations for a renewed exceptional partnership built on strong political convergence, economic momentum and a shared vision for the future.
He praised France's support for Morocco's sovereignty over the Sahara, saying the position has strengthened mutual trust and created new opportunities for cooperation.
According to Akhannouch, the months following Macron's visit have already seen the launch or acceleration of major projects in industry, infrastructure, renewable energy, logistics, investment, energy transition, decarbonization, and rail and port connectivity.
He added that Morocco and France also share ambitions to expand cooperation in artificial intelligence, digital technologies, the data economy, innovation, higher education, scientific research, vocational training, culture, and talent mobility, reaffirming Morocco's commitment to building what he described as a "balanced and ambitious" partnership with France.
