Mohammedia, December 14, 2025 – The Europe Today: Morocco and France have approved a new set of joint decentralized cooperation projects, mobilizing a total of MAD 26.4 million to support 15 initiatives led by local authorities in both countries, officials announced.
The decision was made during a steering committee meeting held on December 10 in Rabat, marking another milestone in a partnership that has steadily expanded over more than a decade. The meeting was co-chaired by representatives from Morocco’s Ministry of Interior, through the Directorate General of Territorial Communities (DGCT), and France’s Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, represented by its delegation for local authorities and civil society.
Senior officials in attendance included Jelloul Samsseme, Wali and Director General of Territorial Communities, and France’s Ambassador to Morocco, Christophe Lecourtier.
The approved projects fall under the framework of the Franco-Moroccan Joint Fund for Decentralized Cooperation and are designed to strengthen collaboration between Moroccan and French regions, municipalities, and local institutions. They focus on practical, locally driven solutions aimed at improving governance, public services, and sustainable development at the territorial level.
With this latest round of funding, both countries reaffirmed their shared commitment to empowering local actors and promoting long-term cooperation that directly benefits communities, rather than remaining limited to national-level agreements.
A Partnership Built Over Time
Decentralized cooperation between Morocco and France began in 2012, when the two countries launched their first joint funding mechanism dedicated to local authorities. Since then, four generations of joint triennial funds have been implemented, gradually expanding both the scale and scope of collaboration.
Over the years, the program has supported projects across a broad range of themes, including territorial governance, administrative capacity-building, tourism development, digital transformation, youth engagement, citizen participation, and sustainable development. This continuity has enabled local partners to build institutional expertise, exchange knowledge, and adapt projects to evolving community needs.
The current funding round reflects this accumulated experience, with selected initiatives designed to be operational, results-oriented, and closely aligned with local development priorities. Officials from both sides stressed the importance of ensuring that cooperation translates into tangible outcomes on the ground, particularly in regions facing social, economic, or environmental challenges.
Looking ahead, the steering committee also discussed the future of the partnership, announcing that a new call for projects covering the 2026–2027 period is expected to be launched in the second half of 2026, signaling continued commitment to decentralized cooperation as a strategic pillar of Morocco–France relations.
