French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron visited Morocco for a three-day state visit. One of the aims of this visit is to inject new momentum into the bilateral relations between the two countries following three years of strained ties. However, relations remained ongoing due to the strong diplomatic connections that France and Morocco maintain, with Morocco being a close trading partner for France and the European Union. The Royal Palace stated that the two countries, which enjoy a “solid and robust partnership,” share a “common desire” to “strengthen the bonds” that unite them.
Recently, there has been noticeable discontent between France and Morocco. For instance, France sharply reduced the number of visas issued to Moroccan citizens in 2021, and it did not increase the number again until December of the following year. France has long hesitated to recognize Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara, a region that Morocco controls in large parts. Since Spain’s withdrawal in 1975, one political movement has called for independence in the area, while Morocco asserts its claim and has sought to offer it autonomy since 2007. Starting this summer, Macron adopted Morocco’s stance, as the United States had previously done during Donald Trump’s presidency, diverging from the official UN position, which still calls for a referendum and dialogue between the parties involved to reach a compromise political solution, and does not recognize Morocco’s unilateral claim to authority over the region. Recently, the UN Secretary-General’s special envoy for Western Sahara, Staffan de Mistura, proposed the idea of dividing the territory.
By supporting Morocco’s plan regarding Western Sahara, a significant portion of the disputes between the two countries is considered resolved. However, by acknowledging Morocco’s position, France risks its relationship with Algeria, which has always been difficult. Algeria—like some African countries—advocates for the independence of Western Sahara and supports the independence movement known as the “Polisario Front.” Especially since the Russian attack on Ukraine, Algeria, rich in raw materials, has become an important partner for the EU in energy supplies. Nonetheless, France decided in favor of Morocco—against Algeria’s stance—on the issue of Western Sahara. With this shift in its position, France is now viewed as a highly respected partner in Morocco.
Another focal point of interest is that France—like most EU member states—has an interest in curbing irregular migration. In this context, Morocco is also an important partner. According to its own data, Morocco stopped around 87,000 migrants in 2023—a sharp increase compared to about 56,000 migrants halted between January and August 2022. It appears that France’s shift toward Rabat’s path regarding Western Sahara is likely to increase Morocco’s willingness to cooperate on irregular migration issues. However, for now, Rabat seems determined to curb irregular migration, as expert Hoffner notes. “Morocco asserts that it has prevented tens of thousands of border crossing attempts this year as well. Clearly, the country relies on cooperation with the EU on this issue.” Nevertheless, Morocco also places importance on receiving support for the Western Sahara issue in exchange for this cooperation, according to Hoffner. Political observers recognize the potential for pressure: Morocco can consciously limit irregular migration—but it can also allow it intentionally.
Recently, French companies have secured major economic projects in Morocco, marking a new chapter in trade relations between the two countries after a significant gesture by President Emmanuel Macron toward Morocco, where he reaffirmed his country’s support for the autonomy plan proposed by Rabat for Western Sahara in a message to King Mohammed VI. Washington, Berlin, and Madrid had previously supported the plan put forth by Rabat in 2007, which proposes granting the former Spanish colony autonomy under its sovereignty. French and generally Western companies have begun operations in Western Sahara, including the French energy group Engie, which is currently collaborating with the Moroccan company Nareva to build a seawater desalination plant in Dakhla.
