Moroccan-Tunisian high joint commission meets in Rabat
Morocco-Tunisia, Politics, 10/2/2001

The Moroccan-Tunisian high joint commission holds its 9th session in Rabat October 4-5 to assess achievements and adopt measures to promote cooperation between the two Maghreban countries.

Tunisian Premier, Mohamed Ghanouchi, will pay an official visit to Morocco October 4 to 6 to co-chair with his Moroccan peer, Abderrahman Youssoufi, the commission works, a statement by Youssoufi's office said.

The two countries are scheduled to sign a package of agreements meant to improve the legal framework regulating cooperation between the two Maghreban countries.

The commission is the highest cooperation body between the two countries. It holds a regular meeting every year, under the co-chairmanship of the two countries' Prime Ministers, to assess trade exchanges.

In 1999, bilateral trade exchanges amounted to $ 75.99 million, with Morocco's imports from Tunisia totaling $37.16 million and exports amounting to $ 38.83 million. In 2000, trade exchanges were worth about $ 88.18 million.

Morocco's exports to Tunisia are mainly made up of chemical wood paste, soluble coffee, tires, car spare parts, and industrial oils. The kingdom's imports from Tunisia consist of plastic items, electric transformers and TV sets.

At the level of the Arab world, Morocco is Tunisia's second client and supplier, soaking 10.3 % of Tunisia's exports and providing 12.2 % of the north African country's imports. Tunisia is Morocco's 21st client and 32nd supplier.

Morocco and Tunisia are bound by an agreement setting up a free trade area that was concluded in March 1999. The accord provides for the suppression --as of the signing date-- of all duties on some 2,000 non-agricultural products carrying below 10% custom duties.

The other custom duties will be gradually lowered up to year 2007.

Morocco and Tunisia are bound to the European Union by separate association accords that provide, inter alia, for the creation of free exchange areas by year 2010 and are both member of the Arab Maghreb Union (UMA), set up in 1989, and that also musters Algeria, Libya and Mauritania.

The commission's 8th session was held in Tunisia in September 2000.

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