Morocco to become first non-EU country in strategic partnership with France

The «Enhanced Exceptional Partnership» Declaration, signed on Monday in Rabat by King Mohammed VI and President Emmanuel Macron, marks a new chapter in Moroccan-French relations.

In his address to the Moroccan Parliament, the French President proposed elevating the level of cooperation between the two nations. «To project our bilateral relationship into the future and to fulfill our shared ambitions, I proposed to His Majesty King Mohammed VI a new strategic framework linking France and Morocco», Macron stated. «This agreement could be signed 70 years after the Celle-Saint-Cloud Declaration (November 6, 1955), during an upcoming state visit to France, which His Majesty has accepted».

Macron explained that the objective of this partnership is to enable both countries to effectively address their common challenges by mobilizing all relevant areas of bilateral, regional, and international cooperation.

The King and the President agreed to immediately establish a joint oversight committee tasked with submitting initial proposals by the first quarter of 2025 to define the framework for this partnership. «Morocco would thus become the first country outside the European Union with which we would engage so deeply», Macron emphasized.

It is worth noting that the Celle-Saint-Cloud Declaration of November 6, 1955, signed between Sultan Mohammed V and French President Antoine Pinay, stated that «the Government of the French Republic solemnly confirms its recognition of Morocco’s independence, which includes the establishment of a diplomatic service and an army, and reaffirms its commitment to respect and ensure the integrity of Moroccan territory, as guaranteed by international treaties».