In an unenviable position, and in an attempt without this reflecting negatively on Algeria, France seeks to put an end to its latent crisis with Morocco and initiates pacification steps that will rebuild relations with its historical partner in the Maghreb region

Diplomatic sources said French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna will travel to Rabat in mid-December to prepare for President Emmanuel Macron's visit scheduled for January.

"Nothing is fixed yet and the visit could be postponed amicably,"one of the sources said.

Macron's state visit, which has been scheduled for months, was not easily organized due to several topics that poison bilateral relations.

The first point of contention is the "visa war" related to Paris ' decision in September 2021 to halve the entry visas granted to Moroccans, citing the kingdom's reluctance to re-receive its nationals residing in France illegally.

This decision was described by Rabat as "unjustified" and humanitarian NGOs as "insulting" and"clumsy" by the Franco-Moroccan circles.

In addition, Paris is considered hesitant about the Western Sahara file - Morocco's "national issue" - and its new good relations with Algeria, a regional opponent, have displeased Morocco

But after a" silent crisis " that lasted for months, the French President and King Mohammed VI resumed contacts on the first of November in light of the upcoming visit of Macron.

Therefore, do not expect that the president's visit will contribute to moving things along in this thorny file. "Emmanuel Macron is the first president of the Fifth Republic who wants to take relations between France and the Maghreb countries out of this heavy historical legacy,"she adds.

However, the desire to treat Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria in the same way collides with the energy crisis caused by the war in Ukraine, which prompted France to make a rapprochement with Algeria. Algeria has been a key partner in the fight against terrorism in the troubled Sahel region since the withdrawal of French troops from Mali.

But Morocco, for its part, provides an outlet to sub-Saharan Africa, where it has been actively exercising "soft power" economically since 2010. Morocco is France's first trading partner in Africa.

In an effort to improve bilateral relations, Paris may resort to softening its visa policies, which have angered and displeased Morocco, especially the middle class.

The Elysee Palace said that the tightening of visa requirements is "reversible", especially after Macron recently noted that this policy has begun to bear fruit.

Another sign of the improvement of relations, after a vacation of several months, the new French ambassador is waiting for Rabat's approval to take up his post. Emmanuel Dupuy believes that the choice of Christophe Lecourtier, general manager of Business France, is "an indicator in itself".

France is Morocco's first economic partner and is by far the main foreign investor in the country. "The king may make an exception and not focus on the Western Sahara file during the upcoming state visit," the analyst said.