2023-11-13 22:41:47
This is an announcement that tens of thousands of people have been waiting for. And which should warm up Franco-Moroccan relations. Guest of Moroccan radio 2M, the French ambassador to Morocco, Christophe Lecourtier, announced “that there are no longer any limitations in terms of issuance of visas by France”. It thus puts an end to months of difficulty in obtaining the famous sesame and of discord between the two countries.
“What a waste on our part (…) We do not manage such an intimate relationship with statistics, because we make the heart, the human relationships, disappear. It will take time to erase these humiliations, judged the ambassador, making France’s mea culpa. There are no more limitations. Anyone who meets the conditions required to obtain a visa will obtain one. » “And to ensure that in 2023, the number of visas granted will increase by 80% compared to 2022.
#Morocco – #France
Controversy surrounding the granting of visas: The Ambassador of #France au #Morocco announces the lifting of all restrictions for the issuance of Visas by France. “From now on, there are no more limitations in terms of visa issuance by France”… pic.twitter.com/C13WeHXaTL— 2M.ma (@2MInteractive) November 13, 2023
In September 2021, France announced that it was going to halve the granting of visas issued for Algeria and Morocco and reduce those for Tunisia by 30%. “A drastic, unprecedented, but necessary measure,” considered Gabriel Attal, then government spokesperson. “There was a dialogue, then there were threats. Today we are putting this threat into action,” insisted Attal.
A discord around the executions of the OQTF
The executive pointed out in particular the responsibility of the three countries, which “did not agree to take back nationals that we did not want and could not keep in France”, concluded the spokesperson. “We are doing it because some of our Algerian, Moroccan and Tunisian compatriots, who are on French soil, are no longer accepted by these countries, either because they are people who are radical Islamists, or because they are delinquents. , or clandestine (…) As long as you do not take back your compatriots, we will not accept your compatriots,” criticized Gérald Darmanin.
In his sights, obligations to leave French territory (OQTF) issued which were not executed. The main bone of contention also concerned consular passes (LPC) which are only issued sparsely – according to the government – by the authorities of the country of origin, slowing down expulsions.
Morocco deplored France’s decision, which had triggered a visa crisis. “We have taken note of this decision, we consider it unjustified,” declared the head of diplomacy Nasser Bourita. “Morocco has always managed the migration issue and the flow of people, with a logic of responsibility and balance between facilitating the movement of people (…) and the fight against illegal migration,” he affirmed.
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