French PM says Paris ready to scale up bilateral relations with Morocco

France’s Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu on a visit to Morocco said the two countries were entering a new phase in their relationship.

He said both were seeking to scale up their bilateral relations followed the renewed momentum in 2024 after years of tensions.

The two countries reset their diplomatic relations that year, when France recognised Morocco’s claim over the disputed territory of Western Sahara.

With its influence in North Africa and the Sahel under pressure, Paris hopes to cement the rapprochement during Lecornu’s 2-day visit to Rabat.

Speaking at the opening of the 15th Morocco-France High-Level Meeting in Rabat, Lecornu described the gathering as a “turning point” in relations between the two countries.

But as his visit started, a consortium of international media published new allegations on the extent to which Morocco used Israeli spyware to spy on several French ministers.

The investigation alleges that Rabat used software, including Pegasus, to track journalists, human rights defenders, as well as politicians from France and Spain.

Morocco has long denied using the spyware to target critics at home or abroad.

Following publication of the latest allegations on Thursday, a press briefing between the two heads of government was scaled back to simple statements, without the possibility of questions.

When asked about the new revelations, the prime minister’s office and the French foreign ministry declined to comment.

“Our aim is to strengthen the framework of cooperation and trust with the Moroccans,” said the French President’s office.

Lecornu said the high-level meeting – a dialogue forum that had not convened since 2019 – highlighted the two country’s converging interests, notably on issues of security and the fight against terrorism.

He added that his visit will help pave the way for a future state visit by King Mohammed VI to France.

A diplomatic source said around 15 agreements were due to be signed at the end of the meetings, covering the fields of the economy, security, migration, and defence.