Morocco’s King Hosts Dinner Banquet Honouring French President Macron and First Lady

By Guardian Correspondent , The Guardian
Published at 05:19 PM Oct 30 2024
Upon arrival at the Royal Palace, the French President, accompanied by his spouse, reviewed a detachment of Royal Guard who made the honours.
Photo: File
Upon arrival at the Royal Palace, the French President, accompanied by his spouse, reviewed a detachment of Royal Guard who made the honours.

KING Mohammed VI of Morocco, accompanied by members of the royal family including Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan, Prince Moulay Rachid, and Princesses Lalla Khadija, Lalla Meryem, Lalla Asmaa and Lalla Hasnaa, hosted a formal dinner banquet on Tuesday evening at the Royal Palace in Rabat in honor of French President Emmanuel Macron and his spouse, Ms. Brigitte Macron.

RABAT
The banquet gathered a distinguished assembly, with attendees including members of President Macron's official delegation, Moroccan government leaders, the Speakers of both Houses of Parliament, the King’s Advisors, cabinet ministers, and prominent civilian and military figures. Key personalities from literature, sports, and the arts also attended, underscoring the deep cultural ties between Morocco and France.

President Macron’s three-day state visit, invited by King Mohammed VI, aims to deepen the long-standing Morocco-France partnership, opening pathways for sustainable and future-oriented cooperation. The visit highlights a mutual commitment to reinvigorate bilateral relations and foster a renewed strategic partnership.

During his visit, President Macron publicly affirmed France’s support for Morocco’s sovereignty over the Western Sahara. In a speech before the Moroccan Parliament, and in private talks with King Mohammed VI, Macron reiterated France's position that “the present and future of Western Sahara lie within the framework of Moroccan sovereignty.” He further emphasized that Morocco’s 2007 autonomy plan serves as “the only basis for achieving a fair, lasting, and negotiated political solution, in line with United Nations Security Council resolutions.”

The banquet gathered a distinguished assembly, with attendees including members of President Macron's official delegation, Moroccan government leaders, the Speakers of both Houses of Parliament, the King’s Advisors, cabinet ministers, and prominent civilian and military figures.
At the Morocco-France Business Summit later on Tuesday, President Macron expressed optimism about the future of French investments in the Moroccan Sahara, affirming that “the road is now paved for French companies to engage and invest in the region.”

This visit reaffirms France’s long-standing support for Morocco’s territorial integrity and strengthens economic cooperation between the two nations, setting the stage for expanded partnership in areas of mutual interest.