Diplomatic relations warming up — The French Prime Minister announces potential partnership leading to a royal visit to France and the signing of an unprecedented ‘friendship treaty’

Franco-Moroccan diplomatic ties have significantly improved in recent years, as evidenced by French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu’s official visit to Rabat. A state visit by King Mohammed VI to Paris and the signing of an ‘unprecedented friendship treaty’ are also under consideration, though no timeline has been set.

Franco-Moroccan relations have been on the mend since the French Head of State recognized Morocco’s sovereignty over the disputed Western Sahara territory in the summer of 2024, a move that drew sharp criticism from Algiers.

Strengthened partnership despite Pegasus controversy

Emmanuel Macron was subsequently given a grand welcome in Rabat in October of the same year, putting an end to three years of strained relations fueled in part by espionage allegations and a visa crisis. The visit concluded with numerous contracts and the signing of an ‘exceptional strengthened partnership.’

On Thursday, an international media consortium published fresh investigations into the alleged scale of espionage conducted by Morocco using the Pegasus spyware, including reports that France had explored acquiring the software.

In 2021, Morocco faced accusations of using the Israeli-made spyware to infiltrate the phones of several national and foreign figures, including the French President and then-Minister Sébastien Lecornu, according to the same consortium. Rabat has consistently(…)