France and Morocco have signed a new declaration of intent that seeks to strengthen cooperation across Africa’s cinema, audiovisual and video game industries, marking another step towards greater continental collaboration in the creative economy.

Signed on 16 July, the agreement establishes a framework for deeper collaboration between the two countries while paving the way for Morocco’s integration into the African Authors and Producers Fund (FAPA), an initiative launched by France’s National Centre for Cinema and the Moving Image (CNC) during the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi in May 2026.

French Catherine Pégard met with her Moroccan counterpart, Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid, Minister of Youth, Culture and Communication, for a high-level meeting dedicated to strengthening cultural cooperation between France, Morocco and the African continent.

Backed by a €1 million budget for 2026, FAPA brings together thirteen partners from six countries, including the Red Sea Film Foundation, the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, Film Fund Luxembourg, SODEC and Telefilm Canada. The fund has been established to strengthen the development of African creative industries by supporting authors and producers, expanding access to international markets and encouraging greater collaboration between Francophone and non-Francophone creative ecosystems across the continent.

For Morocco, the agreement reinforces its growing role as a regional hub for creative industries. Central to this ambition is the ISMAC campus in Dakhla, which is expected to serve as a platform for training and supporting the next generation of African creative professionals. The institution already attracts students from across the continent, with a significant proportion coming from Sub-Saharan Africa.

Beyond film and television, the declaration also places renewed emphasis on video games, recognising the sector as one of Africa’s fastest-growing creative industries. France and Morocco have committed to sharing expertise and exploring new mechanisms to support creators, producers and entrepreneurs working across interactive entertainment and digital media.

The agreement reflects a broader recognition that the skills required to build sustainable creative industries increasingly overlap across film, animation, audiovisual production and game development. Talent development, business support and international collaboration are becoming common priorities as African studios seek greater access to global markets.

For the games industry, the announcement continues a wider trend of governments and cultural institutions recognising interactive media as an important component of the creative economy. As more African countries invest in education, international partnerships and industry development, initiatives such as FAPA could provide additional pathways for developers to access training, professional networks and cross-border collaboration.

The declaration also reinforces Morocco’s ambition to position itself as a gateway for creative collaboration between Africa and Europe. Combined with recent investments in game development, animation and digital media, the partnership signals a growing commitment to supporting African creative talent through long-term institutional cooperation rather than standalone initiatives.