Morocco and France strengthen their alliance with 22 agreements signed in Rabat

In a major step forward in the historic partnership between France and Morocco, 22 new agreements were signed in Rabat, under the presence of King Mohammed VI and President Emmanuel Macron. These agreements cover various sectors such as transport, energy and cultural cooperation, and illustrate the depth of their strategic alliance in favor of economic and technological growth.

Among the most notable agreements is a contract between the Moroccan National Railway Office (ONCF) and Alstom for the supply of high-speed trains and support services. ONCF also entered into partnerships with Sistra Egis for technical assistance and Goslo Cogifer for railway equipment, aimed at strengthening Moroccan railway infrastructure. These initiatives are part of the transport modernization strategy in Morocco, built on French expertise, and follow successful projects such as the Casablanca-Tangier high-speed line, inaugurated in 2018.

In the energy field, Morocco and France have reaffirmed their shared vision of a sustainable future. Agreements were signed with TotalEnergies and Safran, as well as a memorandum between Moroccan OCP and the French Development Agency (AFD) on decarbonization, illustrating their common commitment to environmentally friendly energy solutions. Another important agreement provides for the expansion of the Taza wind farm, supporting Morocco’s goal of producing 52% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030.

The two countries also share priorities in the areas of civil protection, firefighting, port infrastructure development, water management and agriculture. In education, a declaration of cooperation for 2024-2026 strengthens links between French and Moroccan universities and supports bilateral research.

President Macron highlighted France’s role as a gateway for Moroccan companies to the European market, and France remains the leading destination for Moroccan students pursuing their studies abroad, with more than 45,000 enrolled in 2023 Additionally, the partnership extends to creative industries, cultural heritage and video game development, integrating modern digital sectors into their collaboration.

Furthermore, an agreement was established to create a Morocco-France investment accelerator in order to stimulate reciprocal investments and economic opportunities. France remains Morocco’s main trading partner and investor in North Africa, being its first export customer and its second supplier.

In 2023, trade between the two nations reached 14.1 billion euros, driven by Moroccan automobile exports and French sales of transport equipment and cereals.