Morocco, Mali sign employment cooperation accord

Morocco and Mali signed here Thursday a cooperation accord covering the sectors of employment, labor and vocational training.

Under the accord, the two countries will trade studies, visits and expertise on employment policies and equipment management. The renewable four-year accord also provides for trading of expertise on the integration of idle persons in the work market, the promotion of a territorial employment policy through regional moves based on partnership and local plans to integrate youth in the work market, self-employment and job-generating activities.

Cooperation will equally cover labor regulations, professional relations, social dialogue, security in work premises and industrial hazards.

Under the accord, Morocco will extend Mali technical assistance to set up vocational training centers.

A technical committee will follow up the implementation of the accord provisions and will elaborate annual programs. It will hold an annual meeting alternately in Rabat and Bamako.

The accord was signed by Moroccan minister of employment, vocational training, social development and solidarity, Abbas El Fassi, and his Malian peer Makan Moussa Sissoko, who started Wednesday a three-day official visit to Morocco.