Morocco Urges Boycott of French Goods Amid Visa Cuts and EU Trade Dispute

"To all Moroccans, we must absolutely boycott all French products. We will only get out of it through the strength of our unity." "As long as it’s not the visa for Mecca, I’m boycotting France and all its products"... These are among the messages written on posters posted on social media to call on Moroccans to boycott French products. This boycott campaign follows the taking of two decisions that are causing anger: the announcement of a 50% reduction in the granting of French visas for Moroccans and the cancellation of two free trade agreements on agricultural products and fisheries between the kingdom and the EU.

On Wednesday, France decided to tighten the granting of visas for Moroccans, Algerians and Tunisians on the grounds that these three countries refuse to issue the necessary consular laissez-passer for the return of their nationals expelled from France. Reacting to this decision, Nasser Bourita, Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans Residing Abroad, dismantled this argument. He said that the consulates of Morocco in France had issued nearly 400 laissez-passer in recent months.

Regarding the decision handed down by the European Union General Court (EGC), representatives of the local authorities of the province of Assa-Zag expressed their surprise. In a joint statement, the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, and his Moroccan counterpart, Nasser Bourita, say they are mobilized to continue the cooperation between the European Union and the Kingdom of Morocco, in a climate of serenity and commitment, in order to consolidate the Euro-Moroccan Partnership for Shared Prosperity, launched in June 2019.