French PM Gabriel Attal to Visit Morocco, Signaling Diplomatic Thaw

Another step towards the warming of diplomatic relations between Rabat and Paris. Gabriel Attal will be on an official visit to Morocco from July 3 to 5. But the French Prime Minister’s trip will be preceded by that of Éric Dupond-Moretti. The French Minister of Justice is expected in Rabat on May 23 for a working visit focused on judicial cooperation between the two countries. Gabriel Attal’s visit will come after those of members of his government, namely Stéphane Séjourné, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bruno Le Maire, Minister of Economy and Finance and Gérald Darmanin, Minister of the Interior.

After the Prime Minister’s visit, it will certainly be the turn of the French President to visit Morocco. Long planned, Emmanuel Macron’s visit has not taken place so far due to the diplomatic chill between the two countries since 2021. At the origin of the cooling of relations between the two countries, Paris’ reluctance to recognize the Moroccanness of the Sahara, the decrease in the number of visas granted to Moroccan nationals by the French government, as well as its proximity to neighboring Algeria, which broke off diplomatic relations with Rabat in 2021. Currently, the time is for reconciliation.