Author Archive

Jeanne Nougué

Jeanne Nougué holds a MPhil in International Relations (2021-2023) from the DPIR and is currently a research assistant at the Université Internationale de Rabat (Morocco). She is researching French foreign policy in North Africa, with a focus on migration policy. More broadly, she is interested in France's relations with its former colonies, resistance to French presence and influence in Africa, and postcolonial approaches to international relations.

Traditionally close partners, Morocco and France have seen their relationship deteriorate in recent years under a variety of pressures. Much analysis has focused on the role of high politics and diplomatic considerations, such as the question of the sovereignty of Western Sahara. This article argues that while these are important, bottom-up approaches must also be considered. In particular, we highlight the impact of visa restrictions on inter-societal links, and how these affect the core of bilateral relations by damaging the human fabric of politics. The “exceptional partnership” between France and Morocco is a thing of the past, or at least severely damaged. Over the last two years, new crises have erupted at regular intervals. The most recent source of tension …