diplomatic thaw — French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu signals potential for a landmark friendship treaty and a historic visit by Morocco’s monarch to Paris

The bond between France and Morocco has steadily strengthened in recent years, evidenced by French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu’s official visit to Rabat. This visit could pave the way for a state visit by King Mohammed VI to Paris and the signing of an unprecedented “treaty of friendship” between the two nations, though no timeline has been set yet.

Franco-Moroccan relations have flourished since the French head of state formally recognized Morocco’s sovereignty over the disputed Western Sahara in the summer of 2024, a move that drew sharp criticism from Algiers.

strengthened partnership despite pegasus controversy

President Emmanuel Macron’s high-profile trip to Rabat in October 2024 marked the end of three years of strained relations, partly fueled by espionage allegations and visa restrictions. The visit culminated in multiple agreements and the signing of an “exceptional strengthened partnership.”

On Thursday, an international media consortium published fresh investigations into the alleged scale of Morocco’s espionage activities using the Pegasus spyware system, including reports that France was evaluating its own acquisition. In 2021, Morocco faced accusations of using the Israeli-developed software to infiltrate the phones of numerous national and foreign figures, including a French president and then-minister Sébastien Lecornu, according to the same consortium. Rabat has consistently and firmly…