Morocco has officially terminated the mission of Mohamed Benchaaboun as ambassador to France.

The news was announced in a statement published by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in the Official Gazette, in the section “Announcements and press releases”.

The statement outlines that the decision to terminate the functions of Mohamed Benchaaboun as ambassador to Paris takes effect on January 19. “Following royal instructions, it was decided to end the mission of Mohamed Benchaâboun as His Majesty’s ambassador to the French Republic, as of January 19, 2023,” reads the statement.

Mohamed Benchaaboun was appointed, on October 18, 2022 managing director of the Mohammed VI Investment Fund.

Since then, the position of Moroccan ambassador to France has remained vacant, against a backdrop of persistent tensions between Rabat and Paris.

Actually, the date of the decision to terminate the mission of the ambassador to France came the same day the European Parliament approved a non-binding resolution calling on the Moroccan authorities to “respect the freedom of the press”.

French MEPs from President Macron’s party voted for the resolution and part of the French deep state was behind the adoption of the EP resolution. A close friend of the French president, MEP Stéphane Sejourné, president of the Europe Renew group (Liberal Center) since 2021 has been one of the architects of the plot against Morocco and played a decisive role in the adoption of the resolution.