Strengthening Morocco-France defence cooperation with new agreements in Rabat
On the high instructions of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, Supreme Commander and Chief of Staff of the Royal Armed Forces (FAR), Abdeltif Loudyi, Morocco’s Minister Delegate to the Head of Government in charge of National Defence Administration, welcomed France’s Minister of the Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs, Catherine Vautrin, in Rabat this Thursday. The meeting was also attended by a high-ranking military official, the Inspector General of the FAR and Commander of the Southern Zone.
Minister Catherine Vautrin is part of a high-level French delegation led by Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, currently on an official working visit to Morocco. This visit coincides with the 15th Morocco-France High-Level Meeting, aimed at deepening and diversifying bilateral cooperation across multiple sectors.
During the discussions, both sides signed a technical arrangement and a memorandum focusing on bilateral cooperation in the defence industry, as confirmed by a statement from the National Defence Administration.
The leaders also addressed key bilateral and regional issues, exploring opportunities to enhance and expand Morocco-France military cooperation. Both parties expressed a shared commitment to solidify these relations by implementing the legal instruments agreed upon during the 15th High-Level Session.
Twenty-two ministers from Morocco and France participated in the High-Level Meeting, co-chaired by Moroccan Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch and his French counterpart, Sébastien Lecornu. The session concluded with the signing of eleven cooperation agreements spanning diverse sectors, including the establishment of a Regional Express Network (RER) in Rabat, water resources management, and decentralisation efforts.
The 15th Morocco-France High-Level Meeting takes place against the backdrop of an exceptional partnership and strengthened political ties between the two nations. This comes at a pivotal moment following France’s historic shift in its position, including official support for Morocco’s sovereignty over its southern provinces and recognition of the Sahara’s Moroccan identity.
