Warming relations—France’s Prime Minister outlines plans for a historic friendship treaty and potential royal visit to Paris

France and Morocco have seen a marked thaw in relations over recent years, as evidenced by French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu’s official visit to Rabat. Talks are underway for a landmark friendship treaty and a potential state visit by King Mohammed VI to Paris, though no dates have been set.

Diplomatic ties between the two nations have flourished since France formally recognized Morocco’s sovereignty over the disputed Western Sahara territory in mid-2024, a move that drew sharp criticism from Algiers.

Strengthened partnership despite Pegasus controversy

Earlier, President Emmanuel Macron received a grand welcome in Rabat in October of that year, ending three years of strained relations fueled by espionage allegations and visa disputes. The visit culminated in multiple agreements and the signing of an ‘exceptional strengthened partnership.’

On Thursday, an international media consortium released fresh investigations into Morocco’s alleged use of the Pegasus spyware, including reports that France was examining its possible acquisition. The software, developed in Israel, has been linked to infiltration attempts on the phones of French officials and national figures.

In 2021, Morocco faced accusations of deploying Pegasus to monitor the communications of several high-profile individuals—including a French president and then-Minister Sébastien Lecornu—based on findings from the same investigation group. Rabat has consistently denied these allegations…