French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna announced, after talks she held in Rabat with her Moroccan counterpart, the end of what was known as the "visa crisis", as Paris had reduced its grants to Moroccan citizens during the past two years in light of the cooling of relations between the two countries.

The French official also announced that President Emmanuel Macron will visit Morocco in the first quarter of next year.

Colonna said - during a joint press conference with her Moroccan counterpart, Nasser Bourita, following bilateral talks - "We have taken measures with our Moroccan partners, in order to return to full cooperation in the field of migration ... and this decision entered into force since last Monday," expressing her "happiness." so.

The Moroccan foreign minister said, "Morocco refrained from commenting officially on those measures (reducing visas) that were taken by the French authorities unilaterally out of respect for its sovereignty, and of course there were popular reactions by the people concerned."

"Today, too, the decision to return to normalcy is a unilateral decision that Morocco respects, and we will not comment on it officially, but it is moving in the right direction," he added.


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On the other hand, the officials of the two countries expressed their desire to "write a new page" in the bilateral relations of the two countries. Colonna indicated the need to "revive cooperation mechanisms" between the two countries.

"My visit today expresses the common will of France and Morocco to head together towards the future, in line with the will expressed by His Majesty King Mohammed VI and President Emmanuel Macron, during their last phone conversation last November," she added.

Bourita also confirmed that his talks with his French counterpart were an occasion to "prepare for visits at the highest level between the two countries" in the first quarter of next year.

"We talked about how to revive cooperation mechanisms between the two countries," he added, stressing that there is "a common ambition to develop this relationship."

It is noteworthy that relations between Morocco and France have witnessed a lull in recent months, especially after Paris' decision in September 2021 to halve the number of visas granted to Morocco and Algeria, justifying this by the two countries' refusal to take back irregular migrants that Paris wants to deport.

At the time, Rabat described the decision as "unjustified", and it sparked outrage in the kingdom, as human rights activists, intellectuals and local media condemned it.

In addition to the visa crisis, the two countries' relationship is witnessing divergence over the Western Sahara file, as Rabat urges Paris to recognize its sovereignty over this disputed region with the Polisario Front, as the United States did in late 2020.