“We will work to revive cooperation mechanisms between our countries,” Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita said at a joint press conference with his French counterpart, Catherine Colonna, in Rabat. 

“We've taken measures with our Moroccan partners to re-establish a consular relationship," Colonna remarked. 

France announced last year it would cut the number of visas granted to nationals from Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia because of the North African countries' refusal to take back their citizens living illegally in France. 

Bourita hailed the ties between Rabat and Paris, saying preparations are underway for a visit by French President Emmanuel Macron to Morocco within the first three months of 2023. 

He said ties with Paris are “solid, but with constraints.” 

He stated that he and Colonna were in agreement over several issues and that both parties wanted to develop relations further. 

For her part, Colonna described relations between Morocco and France as “extraordinary and strong.” 

She said she held “rich consultations” with Bourita and that it was now “important to look towards the future.” 

She revealed that Macron and King Mohammed VI had held telephone talks on November 1 and most recently on Wednesday after France’s defeat of Morocco in the FIFA World Cup semifinal. 

She added that she was working with Bourita to prepare for Macron’s visit to the kingdom in early 2023.