President Macron receives Moroccan King’s representative at 80th Anniversary of Provence Landings

French President Emmanuel Macron received, on Thursday in Saint-Raphaël, Morocco’s Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch, who represented King Mohammed VI at the ceremony commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Provence Landings.

Following his participation in the commemorating event, the Moroccan official told the media that this ceremony was an opportunity to pay tribute to the soldiers from the African continent, among whom were many Moroccans who fought alongside the Allies for the freedom of France.

“My presence at this ceremony, representing His Majesty the King, is all the more significant as many brave Moroccan soldiers fought alongside their French and African comrades in arms to liberate France during World War II,” said the Head of Government.

During the memorial segment of this commemoration, which took place at the national necropolis of Boulouris in Saint-Raphaël, a tribute was paid to the 350,000 men who landed on August 15, 1944, in Provence.

This commemorative event was marked by tribute speeches and the decoration by President Macron of three veterans who fought with the Allies during the Second World War, including Moroccan Larbi Jawa, who was made a Knight of La Légion d’Honneur.

“Mr. Larbi Jawa, in the name of the French Republic, I make you a Knight of the Legion of Honor,” declared President Macron during the ceremony.

Jawa was joined at the event by his fellow veteran and comrade-in-arms, Abdellah Jaber, 103, who was also awarded La Légion d’Honneur in 2014. “I am very proud and deeply honored to receive this decoration. We have truly earned it,” Jawa told MAP. “We went through many ordeals to achieve this.”

Born in Morocco’s Khenifra, Larbi Jawa enlisted in the military on February 4, 1943, at just 18 years old. By December of that same year, he was already on the front lines of the grueling Italian campaign, where he distinguished himself with remarkable bravery during the Battle of Monte Cassino, earning a citation for his valor.

After the end of World War II, Jawa re-enlisted on June 14, 1950, with the 6th Moroccan Tirailleurs Regiment and participated in the Indochina War. He was severely wounded during the brutal battles on RC4 in the Đông Khê region but continued to carry out his duties. Jawa later returned for a second tour in Indochina, serving from June 7, 1953, to June 22, 1955.

Promoted to the rank of Sergeant on April 1, 1955, Jawa concluded his distinguished military service in 1956 and returned to his hometown Khenifra.

This event in Saint-Raphaël is part of a series of international commemorations held all year round to celebrate the landing’s 80th anniversary and pay tribute to the 350,000 men who landed on August 15, 1944 in Provence.