The Élysée Palace announced in late September that President Emmanuel Macron would officially visit Morocco at the end of October. This visit was finally decided after Rabat and Paris overcame two years of diplomatic tension, following Macron’s message to King Mohammed VI in July, in which he expressed Paris's support for the Moroccan autonomy plan as the sole solution to the Sahara conflict.
According to French and Moroccan media, this step marks the beginning of a new chapter in the bilateral relations between Morocco and France. Macron's upcoming visit to Morocco is seen as a manifestation of this new phase in relations, and it is expected to further strengthen the ties between Rabat and Paris.
To discuss Macron’s upcoming visit to Morocco, its implications, and the context surrounding it, Assahifa interviewed the French writer and historian Pierre Vermeren, one of the most prominent French authors specializing in relations between France and the Maghreb. Vermeren has authored several works in this field, including his latest book, Morocco in 100 Questions: A Kingdom of Paradoxes, published this year, and another titled The History of Contemporary Algeria, also released in 2024. His previous works include The History of Morocco Since Independence (2016).
- In your opinion, Mr. Vermeren, what context can we place Macron's upcoming visit to Morocco at the end of October? Is it aimed at inaugurating a new era in Franco-Moroccan relations?
The visit comes within the context of the French-Moroccan reconciliation at the executive level, following years of estrangement. On the Élysée’s side, President Macron is now largely free from domestic responsibilities in France, allowing him to focus fully on his international duties. In any case, this visit is more than just a courtesy; I believe there is a genuine intention to restore a necessary relationship, especially given what is happening in Africa (particularly in the Sahel) and the Arab world: Tunisia, Libya, Lebanon, Syria, Israel/Palestine. There are numerous urgent issues on the table. France needs partners who share its vision to move forward, especially to reclaim its role in the Middle East.
- What are your expectations regarding the outcomes of the visit? Could it present an opportunity to sign new agreements between Rabat and Paris?
It’s certain that commercial agreements or promised investments will be highlighted because they are easy to promote and evaluate. However, I think the more important issue for President Macron and for France today is sovereignty. On one hand, there are the international relations I mentioned earlier, with Macron showing great interest in Africa despite his failures there. On the other hand, internal security matters are significant, such as the OQTF (Orders to Leave French Territory) and more flexible management of migration and crime issues, which are spoiling political and daily life in France and could lead to undesirable electoral results for both Morocco and Macron in the future.
- French media have discussed the expected economic gains for Paris after France’s position supporting Morocco’s claim over the Sahara. Do you believe French companies will secure contracts in Morocco, and that French investments in the kingdom will increase?
It is very likely, although I don’t have precise information beyond what major media outlets report. In France, since Nicolas Sarkozy’s presidency, we’ve tended to assess any presidential visit based on the number and size of signed contracts. However, given the scale of the current regional and global problems, the more important focus lies elsewhere. The president is not merely a commercial representative, although foreign trade is part of his interests. There are, however, more pressing global issues: Ukraine and Putin, Israel and Iran, Palestine, and Lebanon, the Sahel and Libya, the growing rise of Salafism in Africa, not to mention China, and the potential return of Trump, all presenting numerous challenges.
- Mr. Vermeren, you are an expert on relations between France and the Maghreb countries, particularly Morocco and Algeria, and you’ve published several works on the topic. How do you think Algeria will view Macron’s visit to Morocco, given the current diplomatic crisis between Algeria and Paris?
It’s no secret that this visit won’t be warmly welcomed in Algeria, especially since it comes at a time when President Tebboune’s visit to Paris, which was scheduled, was postponed following Macron’s message to the Moroccan king on July 30th. However, I would argue that there is nothing new or abnormal here. The goal is to restore long-term friendly relations between France and Morocco, as the long estrangement was the abnormal situation. The Algerian authorities are well aware of this, even if they didn’t benefit much from the French-Moroccan rift. When Macron stated that the broad autonomy plan for the Sahara under Moroccan sovereignty would form the basis of France's position, the Algerians understood the significance immediately and expressed their anger without waiting for Macron’s visit to Rabat.
- Regarding Algeria, what do you think France should do to overcome the crisis while maintaining good relations with Morocco, especially in light of its support for Rabat in the Sahara issue?
This is certainly the most complex part, as Paris sees — and I understand Algeria does not view it this way — the resolution of the Sahara issue and good relations with Rabat as not obstructing good relations with Algeria. There are many issues between the two capitals, and it is not feasible for relations to remain severed. It is certain that long-term French-Algerian relations cannot be limited to policing, consular matters, and historical memory. It’s natural for Paris and Algiers to have differing views on colonialism, the Algerian War, and the memory of that era, with each side lamenting its own victims, who are not the same victims. But that is in the past, and the vast majority of French and Algerians did not live through that period. To build a future partnership, there must be cooperation in all areas of economic and geopolitical relations, shared interests in the Mediterranean, the Sahel, Libya, the construction of the Maghreb Union, and other issues, which we hope will soon be the subjects of respectful and equal dialogue.
