More than 780,000 Moroccans live in France and visa restrictions have made it difficult for relatives to visit.
French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonnade has announced that Paris has restored normal consular relations with Morocco after a year-long dispute over France’s decision to reduce the number of visas for Moroccans visiting France.
Friday’s announcement came two days after France and Morocco played each other in the semi-finals of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
France won the much-anticipated match, which drew much scrutiny over Morocco’s relationship with its former colonial rulers and ties between the two countries’ dual citizens. Morocco’s stunning qualification to the semi-finals of the World Cup made the country the first Arab and first African nation to ever reach the world football tournament.
“Our goal is to improve human relations between France and Morocco and to foster deep mutual ties between our two societies,” Colonna said at a press conference with his Moroccan counterpart in the capital Rabat.
Under public pressure to crack down on undocumented immigrants, France announced last year that it would significantly reduce the number of visas granted to citizens of Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia after North African countries refused to take back citizens living illegally in France.
According to the French Institute of Statistics and Economic Research, there are more than 780,000 Moroccans in France, and the visa dispute has made it difficult for relatives in Morocco to visit them.
Morocco’s Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita says France’s efforts to normalize relations are “going in the right direction” after tensions over a visa dispute.
Burita said France had taken a unilateral decision to end visa restrictions, which he said was a unilateral decision to impose restrictions.
“Of course, there was a reaction from people who were affected by this decision. I think everyone knows this,” he said.
“Today, the decision to restore normal consular relations is again a unilateral decision that Morocco respects and will not comment officially,” he added.
The two ministers emphasized that the two countries are important partners in terms of economy, education and security, and emphasized that they share the same views on many international issues in Africa and the Middle East.
It is not yet known whether France received anything from Morocco.
