14-04-2025
Morocco, France Announce Creation of Joint Migration Task Force
Doha – French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau and his Moroccan counterpart Abdelouafi Laftit unveiled on Monday in Rabat the establishment of a Franco-Moroccan working group tasked with verifying the nationality of irregular migrants in France, aimed at facilitating their readmission to their countries of origin.
Following extensive talks at the Moroccan Interior Ministry, Retailleau articulated that the agreement encompasses 'a certain number of points' designed to 'improve cooperation for readmissions' between the two countries.
'This joint group will investigate whether or not certain undocumented individuals and irregular foreign nationals are of Moroccan nationality,' Retailleau elaborated.
He added that 'having mixed French and Moroccan teams to conduct this identification work will dramatically change things and enhance readmission effectiveness.'
In an official statement, Laftit reaffirmed 'the total commitment of the Moroccan side to work toward developing a common framework.'
He proposed establishing 'a new comprehensive partnership and cooperation framework' based on 'revising all agreements' between the two ministries.
The meeting, which convened senior officials from both countries, examined mutual interest issues and prospects for strengthening bilateral cooperation.
This aligns with the Enhanced Exception Partnership Declaration signed by King Mohammed VI and French President Emmanuel Macron during the latter's state visit in October 2024.
Both ministers lauded the robust foundation of security and migration components in bilateral relations, which they noted is set to intensify following France's recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over the Western Sahara in summer 2024.
This diplomatic breakthrough, in light of the French position affirming that 'the present and future of the Sahara fall fully within the framework of Moroccan sovereignty,' ended several years of tensions, particularly regarding migration issues.
Read also: French Interior Minister Makes Lightning Visit to Morocco Amid Migration Talks
The collaboration represents a bold departure from 2021-2022, when France had halved the number of visas granted to Moroccan nationals to pressure the country into accepting more of its citizens expelled by French authorities, causing diplomatic friction.
During the discussions, Laftit outlined 'the Kingdom's holistic and humanistic approach to migration governance.'
He also emphasized 'the importance of work conducted by the Permanent Morocco-France Mixed Migration Group, a reference mechanism for smooth handling of operational challenges.'
The ministers concurred on 'the need to expand and strengthen bilateral cooperation,' including civil protection and major event management.
Their security services' collaboration has already yielded notable successes in containing terrorist threats and dismantling terrorist and criminal networks through close coordination and intelligence sharing.
The meeting follows up on previous discussions during Macron's Morocco visit last October, when the French president announced an 'enhanced partnership' to combat illegal immigration and various forms of trafficking.
A key focus remains the readmission of irregular Moroccan nationals whom France seeks to deport, a process often stalled by Rabat's delayed issuance of consular passes.
The strengthened Morocco-France relations contrast sharply with deteriorating French-Algerian ties, as Algiers recently ordered twelve French officials to leave its territory, according to the French Foreign Minister. Tags: Abdelouafi LaftitBruno RetailleauMorocco France Relations
