ARrivé Sunday evening in the Moroccan capital, the Minister will spend only a few hours there.
Exchanges with Laftit will mainly focus on migration cooperation, the fight against organized crime and drug trafficking, according to the French Interior Ministry.
Relations between Paris and Rabat have been clearly warmed since France recognition in the summer of France, in the summer of 2024, from Moroccan sovereignty over the Sahara, ending several years of tensions, including the migratory question.
On the contrary, relations with Algeria have continued to deteriorate since this recognition, Algiers supporting the separatists of the Polisario.
Retailleau’s visit intervenes as a revival of tension, Algeria having asked 12 French officials to leave its territory, according to the French Minister of Foreign Affairs.
This trip follows the meeting between the two ministers during the visit of Emmanuel Macron in Morocco last October, during which the French president had announced a “Reinforced partnership” Between France and Morocco to combat illegal immigration and the various traffic.
At the heart of the October discussions were the readmissions of Moroccan nationals in an irregular situation, which France wishes to expel, but whose dismissal is often blocked due to the absence of a consular pass delivered by Rabat.
Thursday, during a press conference marking her six months at the Ministry of the Interior, Retailleau announced this new visit to Rabat for “Consolidate the advances obtained with this country, especially on consular leaves” (deliverance, deadlines for obtaining), as well as on the volumes of readmissions, said its services.
France had divided by two the number of visas granted to Moroccans in 2021-2022 to push the Kingdom to take over more of its nationals expelled by the French authorities, resulting in strong diplomatic tensions.
