France is confused about when the king will receive Macron. Its diplomacy says the visit is in April and Moroccan sources deny the existence of any agreement.

It seems that French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Morocco will not be any time soon, as there is no official Moroccan data confirming the existence of an agreement between the royal palace and the Élysée on a date for the next meeting between King Mohammed VI and President Emmanuel Macron, despite the French promotion of the date of 20 April 2023, which remains a mere supposition in the light of Rabat’s growing anger towards Paris.

The French website “Maroc intelligence” mentioned Moroccan diplomatic sources denying having set any date for Macron’s visit to Rabat, although French diplomacy has leaked data that Macron will visit the kingdom on 20 April, Moroccan sources said that “nothing has been agreed on this, and there are no plans for a possible Macron visit”.

Because of the economic importance of this visit, Moroccan actors are supposed to be aware of its date, which does not seem to be present in the mind of the General Confederation of Moroccan Entrepreneurs, since a source close to it told the French website that “this issue cannot be decided for the moment, and there is nothing concrete in our hands”, knowing that French authorities have been talking for months about the preparation of this visit.

The fact that no deadline has been set for Macron’s visit to Morocco gives strong indications of the deterioration of relations between the two countries, given that the French Foreign Ministry, through its spokesperson Anne-Claire Legendre, had confirmed that Minister Catherine Colonna had travelled to Rabat in mid-December to meet her counterpart Nasser Bourita, and that she is in charge of this file.

In statements quoted by the French news agency AFP, the French official said that Colonna and Bourita will discuss “the thorny issue of visas, the preparation of President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Morocco”, but after this visit, the minister only spoke of the return to normal consular activity between the two countries, and of Paris’ support for the autonomy proposal in the Sahara before the UN.

Macron had said in an interview with a member of the Moroccan community in France, documented by a video, that he would visit Morocco in October 2022, and in November of the same year, the Paris-based website “Africa Intelligence” said that the French president held a 30-minute phone call with the Moroccan monarch, during which he asked to visit Morocco, and this proposal was welcomed by the king.

But in December 2022, the same website stated that the visit, which was scheduled for January 2023, was postponed to February, and now the French media is circulating the news of its rescheduling to April, knowing that both countries are in an unprecedented state of crisis due to a number of issues, the latest of which is the European Parliament’s vote.

Read Also: The Council of the Moroccan Community Abroad publishes a monitoring study on European media coverage of human rights court decisions

The post France is confused as to when the King will receive Macron. appeared first on Morocco Telegraph.

His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist Him, had a telephone conversation today with His Excellency Pedro Sanchez, President of the Spanish Government.

During this warm conversation, His Majesty the King, may God assist Him, welcomed the evolution, in consultation, trust and mutual respect, of the new phase of the bilateral Partnership since the Meeting of April 7, 2022 between the Sovereign and the President of the Spanish Government. The commitments contained in the Joint Declaration adopted on that occasion have been substantially implemented.

https://twitter.com/MarocDiplomatie/status/1620795979271372802?s=20&t=ieudjpbpxyB1K1YYnSQVlg

In this context, His Majesty the King, may God glorify Him, welcomed the meeting in Rabat of the 12th session of the Moroccan-Spanish High Level Meeting, eight years after the last session of this institutional mechanism.

In keeping with this positive dynamic in the excellent bilateral strategic partnership, His Majesty the King invited the Head of the Spanish Government to pay an official visit to Morocco, very soon. This visit will be an opportunity to further strengthen bilateral relations, through concrete actions marked by efficiency, and tangible projects in strategic areas of common interest.

Read Also: Spain’s PM highlights the “Strategic Importance” of maintaining “Best Relations” with Morocco

The post The king will not receive Sanchez and invites him for an official visit to Morocco. appeared first on Morocco Telegraph.

The High Representative of the European Union (EU) for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, Josep Borrell, will come to Morocco for an official visit on January 5 and 6 in Rabat.

According to a statement from the European Union delegation in Morocco, Josep Borrell will meet with various institutional interlocutors of Moroccan society and economic actors, including the head of government, Aziz Akhannouch, the minister of foreign affairs, African cooperation, and Moroccan living Abroad, Nasser Bourita.

The visit will give room for a thorough discussion of how the EU-Morocco partnership is being carried out, taking into account the new Mediterranean Agenda, according to the EEAS.

The same source also stated that the High Representative will assess current problems and look into particular areas where communication and cooperation can be strengthened even more.

In order to handle a number of strategic issues, Brussels depends on Rabat. Along with security concerns, the fight against terrorism, economic cooperation, and the issue of migration, these two parties’ relations are centered on this subjects.

On the other hand, Mustapha Tossa, a journalist based in Paris, stated “what Moroccan diplomacy expects from EU countries is that they take a position in favor of the Moroccanity of the Sahara, a position that should be translated at the UN level by a support to the autonomy proposal.”

The Head of European Diplomacy’s visit also includes “the exchange around regional and international issues of common interest and of particular importance in the current challenging global context, and the global impact of the war in Ukraine.”

The long-standing partnership between Morocco and the European Union has grown in recent years and is now a model for the EU’s neighborhood policy.

Over the past year, Rabat and Brussels have continued to explore the “unlimited” potential of their partnership, working to further integrate Morocco into the European economic biosphere, build industrial and economic resilience, lay the groundwork for new industrial value chains, strengthen their shared climate ambition, and immunize their relationship.

In recent months, six EU members have visited Morocco, each time launching new ideas and tangible actions to strengthen their relationship.

The post Josep Borrell : The High Representative of the EU, in official visit to Morocco appeared first on Morocco Telegraph.