“The fact that the two countries find themselves in a phase where both have a shared understanding of the challenges to be faced and a desire to regain mutual trust is precious and promising,” welcomed Mr. de Montbrial in a interview with MAP, on the sidelines of the debate organized on Wednesday by IFRI on the prospects of the strengthened strategic partnership between Morocco and France, with the participation of HM the King’s ambassador in Paris, Samira Sitail.
Mr. de Montbrial, also a member of the Academy of Moral and Political Sciences, underlined that “Morocco which is a large country, with a political regime anchored in history with very strong legitimacy and France which is also a great nation, have a lot in common and their interests are extremely complementary on all levels, economic, political, security and cultural.
He noted that, in a global context marked by the multiplicity of issues and the scarcity of resources, the two countries have rightly chosen to define the areas in which they can strengthen their partnership in the future, in particular that of energy, climate, cultural exchange. These choices of cooperation, he estimated, will gain in substance and relevance if they are carried out according to models of partnership with the African continent in a logic of complementarity and co-development.
Referring to the issue of the Moroccan Sahara, the president of IFRI emphasized the need to approach the issue from the angle of current reality, noting that it is time for France “to make choices “, because for him “in the complexity of today’s world, it is more and more difficult to multiply ambiguities”.
“Today we are facing a new world, with new challenges, new issues and new actors. A world which calls for new choices,” he noted, noting that “we cannot remain indefinitely ambiguous” regarding the Sahara question.
“It is in the interest of the countries of the Maghreb, Africa and the security of European countries,” he added.
The President of IFRI also expressed his admiration for the achievements accomplished in Morocco in all areas and the role that the Kingdom plays in the economic development of many African states.
The French Institute of International Relations, it will be recalled, is the leading French institution for research and debate on international relations. It is also a unique platform for understanding the contemporary world.
With experience acquired over four decades, it has become a global reference, recognized by its peers. Ranked for the last three years in the top three most influential think tanks in the world by the Global Go To Think Tank Index Report of the University of Pennsylvania, in 2021 Ifri also occupies 5th place in the general ranking and 4th in Europe.