During this meeting, under the theme: “Morocco-France: building a common future together in a world in transition”, Ms. Sitail emphasized the determination of the two countries to accelerate and reinvent their exceptional partnership, taken to the highest summit of the State by His Majesty King Mohammed VI and French President Emmanuel Macron.
“From this very high-level desire arises the establishment of a range of channels which today consist of identifying the paths and subjects from which this exceptional partnership, renovated between the two countries will henceforth be part of », Underlined Ms. Sitail in front of an audience of personalities from various backgrounds, including diplomats, journalists, economic players, elected officials and members of the Moroccan community residing in France.
The diplomat particularly welcomed France’s new position on the national question, reinforcing the international dynamic and the massive momentum of support for the sovereignty of the Kingdom over its Sahara.
For Ms. Sitail, “the re-construction” of the Franco-Moroccan partnership is necessary for the good and interest of the two countries “in a changing geopolitical context, where the cards are being redistributed, notably with the emergence of new powers “.
This “reco-construction” is also called to be part of a continental perspective, that of the development of “plural” Africa, must in particular take advantage of the historic relationship between the two countries, according to Ambassador Sitail who recalled the two key moments having forged their exceptional partnership: “brotherhood of arms” with a France which is celebrating this year the 80th anniversary of the landings and the Liberation; and “Moroccan Independence” (1956) with the decision of both countries to look to the future.
It is this same look towards the future which should govern, according to her, future bilateral relations to enrich and accelerate this partnership in its different aspects: religious, economic, security etc.
With supporting figures, Ms. Sitail highlighted the strengths of current cooperation to be leveraged in this perspective, citing at the cultural level, the important French teaching network deployed in Morocco, or the 53,000 Moroccan students present in France, making the Kingdom “one of the leading contributors to the influence of French higher education”.
And added that “with 17 consulates, we have a diaspora of 1.6 million Moroccans, who serve as a link between the two cultures and a lever of Moroccan soft power in France”.
On the economic and commercial level, France is the 3rd supplier and 2nd customer of Morocco where the stock of French FDI represents an amount of more than 8 billion euros, notes the ambassador who also mentions the presence on the ground Moroccan of a thousand French companies including practically all those of the CAC 40.
For its part, Morocco is the leading African investor in France, noted Ms. Sitail, who took this opportunity to also highlight the exemplary security cooperation of the Kingdom with France, particularly in the fight against terrorism, organized crime and illegal immigration.
Speaking at the opening of this meeting, the mayor of Neuilly-sur-Seine, Jean-Christophe Fromantin, who co-organized this meeting with the Cercle International de Neuilly, said he was delighted to welcome Morocco to talk about the promising future of its relations with France.
“The density of relations between France and Morocco must be used to the maximum for the good of our populations and the prosperity of the two countries,” he pleaded in a statement to MAP at the end of the conference by Ms. Sitail, which was followed by a rich exchange with the audience on the prospects for cooperation between Morocco and France.