French president starts three-day visit to Morocco in what is being called a ‘new honeymoon’

French President Emanuel Macron is on a three-day visit to Morocco where he will meet with King Mohammed VI and Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch and address Morocco’s Parliament. The meetings will focus on partnerships regarding trade, climate change and immigration. The trip comes months after Macron backed Morocco’s autonomy plan for the disputed Western Sahara. In the days leading up to the visit, Moroccan media outlets described the visit as a “warm reunion” and a “new honeymoon” between the two countries while French flags were hung throughout Rabat. Morocco is the leading destination for French investment in Africa and France is Morocco’s top trade partner. Morocco imports French cereals, weapons and renewable energy infrastructure like turbines. France imports goods from Morocco including tomatoes, cars and airplane parts.