Speaking during a press briefing following his talks with his Moroccan peer, Abdelouafi Laftit, Retailleau said that the two parties agreed to collaborate on these issues through a framework of meetings and permanent work on migration issues (Permanent Joint Migration Group), “which we must make full use of.”

In this respect, he noted that both sides would be working on a bilateral roadmap to set objectives on all issues of common interest.

The French Minister also assured his Moroccan counterpart of his “full commitment and availability to come to Morocco as often as necessary to pursue these exchanges in confidence and transparency.” “We exchanged views on the three major issues facing Morocco and France, and on which we intend to work together resolutely and in depth,” he said.

He also stressed the importance of cooperation in civil security and major events’ management, recalling the signing on Monday of “two important agreements on civil security, which pave the way for strengthening our cooperation.”

In this respect, Retailleau thanked his Moroccan peer for the resources made available to France to help secure the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games. “We are ready to share our experience in managing and securing major sporting events, with a view to the Africa Cup of Nations that Morocco will host in 2025, followed by the 2030 Football World Cup.”

The Minister went on to talk about security issues, marked by close, high-quality cooperation on two main priorities: “fruitful” cooperation in the fight against terrorism, and the fight against drug trafficking.

With regard to migration issues, the Minister pointed out that the two countries have a global agenda that includes legal mobility and the fight against irregular immigration. “We have a working framework that we want to deepen in terms of returns, the fight against gangs and the surveillance of land and sea borders”.

On the issue of readmitting Moroccan nationals in an irregular situation, Retailleau said that “procedures with deadlines and identification elements for people whose origin is not documented are already in place, but we have agreed to improve them to shorten deadlines and increase the number of people readmitted.”

On the subject of border surveillance, the Minister highlighted the migratory pressures facing both countries and the importance of monitoring land and sea borders, opening up significant potential for the exchange of experience and best practices.