LYON, France — November 12, 2026 — Positioning Morocco as an indispensable trade and logistics gateway between Europe and Africa took center stage in Lyon on Tuesday, as diplomats, elected officials, and researchers gathered to chart the next chapter of the France-Morocco strategic partnership.
Hosted jointly by the Moroccan Center for Research on Globalization (NejMaroc) and the Consulate General of Morocco in Lyon under the theme "France-Morocco: A Strategic Partnership between Diplomacy and Expertise," the forum coincided with commemorations of the Green March and Unity Day, signaling renewed institutional momentum between Rabat and Paris.
Positioning Morocco as the Atlantic Gateway to Africa
Addressing government officials, academics, and civil society leaders, Rajae Benchaji, Consul General of Morocco in Lyon, outlined how structural reforms spearheaded under His Majesty King Mohammed VI have transformed the Kingdom into a continental economic hub.
Benchaji spotlighted two flagship regional initiatives designed to reshape West and North African connectivity:
The Royal Atlantic Initiative: A strategic framework offering landlocked Sahel countries direct maritime access to global trade routes via Moroccan ports.
The Morocco-Nigeria Gas Pipeline: A transformative trans-African energy corridor aimed at accelerating regional industrialization and energy security.
To support this continental vision, Benchaji pointed to Morocco’s heavy investments in domestic backbone infrastructure—including the Tanger Med port complex, high-speed rail networks, the Tiznit-Laâyoune-Dakhla expressway, and major upcoming maritime hubs at Nador West Med and Dakhla Atlantic. Bilaterally, she noted deepening Franco-Moroccan alignment across transport, defense, civil aviation, water management, education, and culture.
Academic Exchanges and Local Diplomacy Anchor Bilateral Ties
Beyond state-level infrastructure and trade corridors, participants emphasized that durable bilateral cooperation relies on knowledge transfer and decentralized municipal engagement.
Yassine El Yattioui, Secretary General of NejMaroc, highlighted Morocco’s growing appeal to international investors driven by rapid economic modernization. He urged policymakers to expand scientific research partnerships and academic mobility between French and Moroccan institutions, positioning university collaboration and younger generations as long-term drivers of the France-Morocco strategic partnership.
A Blueprint for Ongoing Municipal and Institutional Dialogue
Tuesday’s forum in Lyon marks the launchpad for a broader series of regional dialogues connecting think tanks, researchers, and municipal leaders across France. Local elected officials from Oyonnax, Vaulx-en-Velin, and Vénissieux joined the inaugural discussions, underscoring how decentralized diplomacy and community-level ties are reinforcing broader strategic convergence between Rabat and Paris.
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