Morocco, Italy sign four cooperation accords

Morocco and Italy have signed four cooperation accords meant to give a new impetus to relations between the two countries.

The accords were signed at the end of a conference on the Moroccan-Italian Industrial Partnership, held in Casablanca.

The first accord, initialed by head of the Moroccan industrial federation (CGEM) Hassan Chami and vice president of the Italian Confindustria (employers' association) Francesco Belloti, provides for the setting up of a Moroccan-Italian business council.

The council will have as a prime objective to consolidate cooperation ties between the two countries private sectors.

The three other accords deal with cooperation in the realms of plastic industry associations and small and medium firms.

The signing ceremony was attended by Moroccan secretary of state for foreign affairs and cooperation, Taieb Fassi Fihri, and Italian minister of industry, commerce, handicraft and external trade, Enrico Letta.

The conference on the Moroccan-Italian Industrial Partnership debated issues related to business opportunities between Morocco and Italy and the Euro-Mediterranean partnership.

Italy is Morocco's fifth client and fourth supplier. Italian investments in Morocco stood at nearly $ 13.5 billion in 1999.