France and Morocco have announced plans for a historic bilateral treaty and a state visit by King Mohammed VI to France, signalling a new high point in relations between two countries with deep historical and economic ties. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot made the announcements on Wednesday, 20 May 2026, during talks in Rabat with his Moroccan counterpart Nasser Bourita, on the sidelines of a ministerial conference on peacekeeping in French-speaking countries.
The centrepiece of the diplomatic push is a bilateral treaty described by both ministers as politically, legally, and historically unprecedented — it would be the first such agreement France has signed with a non-European country. Bourita said the treaty is designed to "set the framework for the Franco-Moroccan relationship for decades to come." The signing is expected to take place during King Mohammed VI's forthcoming state visit to France, though no date has yet been announced. The last major milestone in the relationship came two years ago, when French President Emmanuel Macron visited Morocco and oversaw the signing of significant accords on energy and internal security.
Beyond the treaty, both sides pointed to the breadth of their engagement: Bourita noted that more than 40 ministerial meetings have taken place between the two countries in recent years, a figure he offered as evidence of what Paris and Rabat have formally designated a "reinforced exceptional partnership." Barrot also announced that Rabat will host the 15th intergovernmental seminar this July, providing a further opportunity to review administrative cooperation. A high-level commission co-chaired by both countries' prime ministers is also planned.
A recurring point of alignment between the two governments is the question of Western Sahara, a disputed territory on Morocco's southern border whose status has been contested since Spain's withdrawal in 1975. Barrot reaffirmed France's position, first articulated in a 2024 letter from Macron to the king, that Morocco's autonomy proposal is "the only basis for a just, lasting and negotiated solution" — language that amounts to backing Moroccan sovereignty over the territory.
The depth and pace of the rapprochement matters beyond the two countries. France is Morocco's leading European trading partner, and Morocco serves as a key partner for Europe on migration management, counter-terrorism, and regional stability in North Africa. A legally binding, comprehensive treaty would institutionalise ties that have historically been managed through softer diplomatic instruments, giving the relationship a durable legal foundation regardless of which governments are in power in either capital.