Morocco-France relations were at the center of an interview held Friday in Essaouira between Nasser Bourita and Jean-Noël Barrot. The Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs met with his French counterpart in the city of Alizés, where the two officials exchanged in the context of their diplomatic functions.
This meeting comes in the context of the “Reinforced Exceptional Partnership”, signed between His Majesty King Mohammed VI and President Emmanuel Macron, on October 28, 2024. On this occasion, the two ministers welcomed the positive dynamic and the density of the bonds of friendship and cooperation between the two countries, in line with the will of His Majesty King Mohammed VI and the President of the French Republic, H.E. Emmanuel Macron.
They reviewed the various aspects of this cooperation, in particular in the political, economic, cultural and human fields, and discussed ways to continue its deepening, commensurate with the common ambitions and expectations of both countries. The two officials also welcomed their convergence of views on regional and international issues of common interest, particularly the situation in the Middle East and the two-state solution, reaffirming their shared commitment to a just, comprehensive and lasting peace in the region.
Highlighting the quality of a relationship based on trust and close consultation, the two Ministers agreed to continue and deepen their coordination on strategic priorities of common interest for peace, stability and development in the Maghreb, Sahel, Mediterranean and Middle East.
On this occasion, M. Barrot reiterated France’s consistent position on the Moroccan Sahara issue, reaffirming that “the present and future of the Sahara are part of Moroccan sovereignty.” He also stressed France’s position of support for the Moroccan autonomy initiative as the “single basis” of negotiations with a view to definitively settling the artificial conflict around the Moroccan Sahara, in line with the position recently reaffirmed by France at the Security Council meeting on 30 October 2026.
