France and Morocco are tightening their security ties as Bruno Retailleau, France’s Interior Minister, makes a brief but strategic stop in Rabat. On the agenda: irregular migration, drug trafficking, organized crime, and repatriation of undocumented Moroccan nationals living in France.
Retailleau touched down in the Moroccan capital late Sunday and is expected to stay only a few hours, but the timing of this visit is anything but trivial. It comes on the heels of a major diplomatic thaw between Paris and Rabat, spurred by France’s 2024 recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara. That shift helped unblock a number of stalled bilateral issues and set the tone for a new chapter in Franco-Moroccan relations.
The regional backdrop adds further weight to this meeting. Algeria, angered by France’s pivot toward Morocco, recently expelled twelve French diplomats, underscoring the strain in its ties with Paris. Morocco, on the other hand, is leaning into the renewed partnership. President Emmanuel Macron’s visit last October signaled a turning point, culminating in the announcement of a “strengthened partnership” between the two countries.
Among the thorniest topics on today’s table is the issue of consular travel documents—crucial paperwork that allows France to deport undocumented Moroccan migrants. While the need for these documents has grown, obtaining them remains a bureaucratic slog. Retailleau hopes to use this as a catalyst to deepen cooperation, signaling his intention to make immigration management a central plank of his leadership at the Interior Ministry.
