The French Minister of Culture, Rachida Dati, announced on Monday in Laayoune the establishment of a French Alliance in the city, aiming to boost cultural cooperation between France and Morocco, particularly in the southern provinces.
“We want this Alliance to become a resource center and a key hub for cultural cooperation between France and Morocco,” Dati said after a meeting dedicated to presenting the Alliance project.
Accompanied by Morocco’s Minister of Youth, Culture, and Communication, Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid, and the French Ambassador to Morocco, Christophe Lecourtier, along with governors from Tarfaya and Boujdour, as well as elected officials, cultural, and community actors, Dati highlighted that this French Alliance will benefit children, students, teachers, and trainers in the region.
It aims to open doors to various cultural activities, including language learning, artist exchanges, and educational paths, she said.
“We will also promote a high-quality French cultural offering and language courses by supporting the opening of this French Alliance in Laayoune,” she added, noting that the project is particularly “ambitious and symbolic.”
Minister Dati also stressed that such cultural initiatives are part of France’s tangible cooperation with Morocco and the fulfillment of commitments made by French President Emmanuel Macron during his state visit to Morocco in October 2024, at the invitation of His Majesty King Mohammed VI.
“This cultural cooperation in this region reflects France’s strong commitment,” she said, adding that cooperation agreements in fields such as media, heritage, cinema, and cultural and creative industries, among others, will be concretized to benefit local populations.
She also expressed admiration for Morocco’s efforts in advancing the economic and social development of the region, as well as the quality of the infrastructures in the Laayoune-Sakia Al Hamra region, reflecting the ambition and visionary leadership of His Majesty the King for the development of the southern provinces.
For his part, Minister Bensaid emphasized that this visit is the first of its kind by a French minister to the southern provinces, underscoring the historical depth of relations between France and Morocco, particularly in their cultural dimension.
Bensaid also noted that cultural industries are an investment in human development and new professions, adding that the population of the southern provinces, especially the youth, will benefit from the cultural industry.
MAP: 17 February 2025
