French ambassador to Morocco, Christophe Lecourtier has described the North African country’s southern regions as “a new horizon for France’s strategic action”.
Speaking during a visit to assess investment prospects in Laâyoune and Dakhla in the north of Morocco on Wednesday, Lecourtier said the region’s economic potential and the importance of strengthening bilateral partnerships was a pillar of Franco-Moroccan cooperation.
The ambassador’s visit took place in the presence of a high-level delegation of French business leaders and economic representatives who came to explore investment prospects in Laâyoune and Dakhla. It also embodied a cultural exchange, with Lecourtier wearing the traditional Saharan outfit, the “Daraa.”
“Our objective is to bring these emerging projects to fruition as quickly as possible,” said Lecourtier, expressing France’s determination to seize the many economic opportunities offered by this region, which he considers particularly promising.
One of the highlights of the visit was an economic roadshow organised by the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Morocco.
The event brought together some 50 French business leaders and entrepreneurs eager to discover partnership opportunities in Laâyoune-Sakia El Hamra.
Lecourtier stressed that the tour was a key platform for establishing direct relations with Moroccan promoters, promoting cooperation and assessing specific investment prospects.
He added that the visit was part of France’s broader strategy to strengthen its economic ties with Morocco by seizing the new opportunities offered by the southern provinces.
France’s economic interest in these provinces is illustrated by the recent words of President Emmanuel Macron, who reaffirmed France’s commitment to supporting Morocco’s sovereignty and territorial integrity in the Sahara during his state visit in October.
In a landmark speech to the Moroccan parliament, Macron reaffirmed that the future of the southern provinces is under Moroccan sovereignty and pledged France’s support for development projects in the region.
During his stay, Lecourtier and the French delegation met with several local leaders, including the president of the Regional Council, Sidi Hamdi Ould Errachid.
During these meetings, the ambassador reaffirmed France’s commitment to contribute actively to the economic development of the region, marking a new stage in Franco-Moroccan cooperation.
MK/sf/te/lb/jn/APA