French President Emmanuel Macron is set to embark on a three-day state visit to Morocco, as announced by the Moroccan royal palace on Monday. The palace emphasized that the visit reflects “the depth of bilateral relations based on a deep-rooted and solid partnership.”
This visit follows France’s recent efforts to revive ties, notably its endorsement in July of Morocco’s autonomy plan for the disputed Western Sahara, marking a significant shift in its position. This change aligns with similar moves by countries like the US, Israel, and various African nations, as Morocco seeks to strengthen trade relationships.
Macron labeled the autonomy plan as the only viable solution to the long-standing conflict over Western Sahara, which Morocco claims as its territory, while the Algeria-backed Polisario Front seeks independence.
France’s change in stance angered Algeria, which promptly recalled its ambassador to Paris. Tensions had previously risen between France and Morocco when France reduced visa allocations for Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia in 2021, although these restrictions were later lifted.