During President Emmanuel Macron’s state visit to Morocco, he and Moroccan King Mohammed VI signed new agreements to strengthen ties between the two countries, according to African media.
The deals, worth around 10 billion euros, cover investment, energy and infrastructure. Under the agreement, French railway manufacturer Alstom will hand over up to 18 high-speed train cars to Morocco.
The visit, which took place at the king’s invitation, came months after Macron had reversed his support for Morocco’s autonomy plan for the disputed Western Sahara. Macron called it “the only basis for achieving a just, lasting and negotiated political solution.”
Morocco and Algeria have been fighting for Western Sahara for nearly five decades. The territory is largely controlled by Morocco, but the Algerian-backed Polisario front also claims the land as its own.
However, the UN says Western Sahara is a non-self-governing territory to which Morocco cannot claim sovereignty.
