French Senate speaker Gérard Larcher called for the development of a partnership with Morocco geared towards Africa and voiced appreciation of France’s historical stance on Sahara,as expresseed by President Emmanuel Macron last year.
Speaking at a joint news conference following talks,on Monday in Rabat,with Morocco’s Upper House Speaker Mohamed Ould Errachid,Larcher expressed his desire to strengthen a partnership with Morocco focused on Africa,particularly in a globally “uncertain” context.
Larcher is paying an official visit to Morocco,deemed as a token of the unwavering and renewed commitment to deepening the strong and dynamic ties between the two countries’ parliaments.
The French Senate speaker stated that the goal of his visit to the Kingdom is to write a “new parliamentary chapter” in the new book of relations between the two countries,“which His Majesty King Mohammed VI has invited us to shape together.”
In this regard,he recalled that President Emmanuel Macron of France had declared during his state visit to Morocco last October that “the present and future of the Sahara lie within the framework of Moroccan sovereignty.”
Along the same lines,he noted that the partnership between the two countries includes 47 projects related to energy,infrastructure,transport,and the fight against water stress,with a particular focus on human capital.
Larcher also welcomed the Moroccan Upper house Speaker’s participation next July in Paris at the 50th session of the French-speaking Parliaments,and emphasized that Morocco is a key link in interparliamentary cooperation.
Ould Errachid on his part underlined that Moroccan-French partnership is gaining unprecedented momentum,and that both sides share confidence in the crucial role of parliamentary diplomacy as a cornerstone in sustaining this exceptional momentum and strengthening the foundation of mutual development.
Ould Errachid also stressed the importance of reinvigorating parliamentary friendship groups within both institutions and strengthening the Moroccan-French Parliamentary Forum,which serves as a key platform for dialogue and coordinated efforts across diverse political and parliamentary spheres.
Talks,he said,emphasized the need to establish a comprehensive framework for bilateral parliamentary cooperation. This includes enhanced consultation and coordination on shared priorities,increased exchanges of official visits,joint parliamentary events,collaboration in international parliamentary forums,and the exchange of experiences and expertise in all areas of legislative action.
The meeting provided an opportunity to survey Morocco’s pioneering reform initiatives and its comprehensive development trajectory,underpinned by an advanced institutional and constitutional framework,vibrant democratic life,and broad-based citizen participation.
Addressing the issue of Morocco’s territorial integrity,Ould Errachid reaffirmed that both parties reiterated their appreciation of France’s historical stance,which recognizes that the past,present,and future of the Sahara lie within Moroccan sovereignty.
This position aligns with the growing international endorsement of Morocco’s autonomy initiative as the sole solution to resolving the artificial conflict over the Moroccan Sahara. The initiative continues to garner explicit support from the international community,which acknowledges Morocco’s strategic vision,under the guidance of the King,for the region’s future.
The President of the French Senate,who is accompanied by a high-level delegation,including the President of the France-Morocco Friendship Group,Christian Cambon,and the President of the Foreign Affairs,Defense,and Armed Forces Committee,Cédric Perrin,is expected to pay a visit to Morocco’s southern provinces.
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