Morocco, France to set up cooperation task force

Morocco and France agreed to set up a high level task force to enhance bilateral cooperation.

The task force will be set up by next October and may be a ministerial body, Moroccan foreign affairs and cooperation minister, Mohamed Benaissa, told MAP news agency.

Moroccan-French cooperation was given a new boost with the state visit King Mohammed VI paid to France Mar. 19-22.

France is Morocco's first trade and economic partner.

The visit was a new a start for a new spirit of cooperation, Benaissa said. "This is a new era that has started," he said, adding, "The new context incites the two sides to set up the task force to give a new impetus to bilateral cooperation."

The task force will not be restricted to the traditional technical cooperation. It will also tackle the human aspects of this cooperation, taking into account the thousands of Moroccans who are settled in France, he said.