Morocco and France strengthen strategic partnership in security and migration

On Monday in Rabat, Morocco’s Minister of the Interior, Abdelouafi Laftit, held a working meeting with Bruno Retailleau, France’s Minister of State and Minister of the Interior. The session was attended by senior officials from both nations and aimed at deepening bilateral ties.

During the meeting, both ministers reviewed shared priorities and future opportunities for collaboration, in line with the Enhanced Exceptional Partnership Declaration signed by King Mohammed VI and French President Emmanuel Macron during the October 2024 state visit.

The ministers praised the strong foundations of the Moroccan-French relationship, particularly in the areas of security and migration. They emphasized the importance of France’s position supporting Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara, seeing it as a core element for advancing cooperation.

Highlighting a spirit of mutual trust and shared challenges, both sides acknowledged their aligned views on regional and global issues. To reinforce this positive momentum, Minister Laftit proposed creating a new comprehensive framework for partnership. This would involve updating existing agreements between the two interior ministries to better reflect shared goals.

A significant step toward this goal is the development of a Morocco-France roadmap for interior ministry cooperation.

In terms of security, both ministers commended the effective collaboration between their respective agencies. This partnership, grounded in close coordination and intelligence-sharing, has successfully countered terrorist threats and led to the dismantling of several criminal and extremist networks.

Minister Laftit reiterated Morocco’s holistic and human-centered approach to migration, guided by the directives of King Mohammed VI. He highlighted the work of the Permanent Mixed Migration Group between Morocco and France, which serves as a key mechanism for addressing operational challenges. He also reaffirmed Morocco’s commitment to establishing shared procedures and reporting frameworks.

Finally, the ministers agreed on the importance of expanding bilateral cooperation, particularly in areas such as civil protection and the organization of major events.