RABAT: French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau was on a visit to Rabat on Monday, where he discussed security cooperation and migration with his Moroccan counterpart Abdelouafi Laftit.
Talks primarily focused on migration cooperation, the fight against organized crime and drug trafficking, according to the French interior ministry.
Retailleau also announced the creation of a joint French-Moroccan working group tasked with identifying some Moroccan irregular migrants in France in order to send them back to the North African country.
Relations between Paris and Rabat have significantly improved since France recognized Moroccan sovereignty over the disputed territory of Western Sahara in the summer of 2024, ending several years of tension, particularly over migration.
In contrast, France’s ties with Algeria have steadily deteriorated since the move, with Algiers backing the Polisario separatists.
Retailleau said he would “refrain from any reaction” to the crisis with Algeria while he was in Morocco.
Fresh tensions flared between Paris and Algiers on Monday as the French foreign minister said its former colony had asked 12 French officials to leave in 48 hours.
The announcement was linked to the arrest of three Algerian nationals in France, said French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot.
“I am asking Algerian authorities to abandon these expulsion measures,” Barrot said, adding: “If the decision to send back our officials is maintained, we will have no other choice but to respond immediately.”