Morocco welcomes France's decision to end visa restrictions 

Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita on Friday welcomed the French decision to end visa restrictions for Moroccan nationals.

This came during a joint press conference held by Bourita in the capital, Rabat, with his French counterpart, Catherine Colonna, who is visiting Morocco between 15-16 December.

“There is a need to renew relations between the two countries,” Bourita announced.

According to Bourita, the talks between the two sides focused: “On how to develop relations between the two countries and how to revive cooperation mechanisms.”

Bourita discussed with Colonna: “Some of the challenges facing the relationship between the two countries and how to deal with them.”

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Colonna said that her country: “Has decided to take practical measures to regularly grant visas to Moroccans and has already begun to do so.”

She announced: “French President Emmanuel Macron intends to visit Morocco soon, in the first quarter of next year.”

Since September 2021, relations between the two countries have been strained after France decided to restrict granting visas for Moroccan citizens, which has caused a halt in exchanging diplomatic visits between the two countries ever since.

In response to France’s strictness in granting visas, Morocco denounced the French decision on 28 September, 2021, with Bourita describing it at the time as “unjustified”.