Maghreban human resources commission meets in Tunis

The Maghreban human resources ministerial commission held its 10th session in Tunis Tuesday and Wednesday to discuss ways of reactivating the bodies and institutions of the Arab Maghreb Union (UMA).

The minutes of the session underline the need to set up a follow-up institution that will supervise the implementation of programs and projects agreed upon and call for the participation of non-governmental organization in the Maghreb integration process.

UMA was set up in Marrakesh in 1989 by Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia. Its structures have been however paralyzed for years due to strained relations between some member countries, and especially between Morocco and Algeria over Algiers' direct involvement in the Sahara issue.

Participants called for an efficient methodology to enforce the accords concluded and coordinate the UMA members' actions.

They adopted the report drafted by experts and which includes recommendations and proposals on the reactivation of the UMA bodies and joint Maghreban action in the realms of culture, education, scientific research, science, information, health, youth, childhood, and legal affairs.

The Moroccan delegation to the meeting was led by minister of higher education, staff training and scientific research, Najib Zerouali, who underlined in his address before the meeting the key role of the human element in the Maghreban institution.

He called for speeding up the ratification of the various accords concluded in the frame of the UMA, for implementing the recommendations made by the UMA various bodies and for further efforts to build up a strong grouping, liable to take up the globalization challenges. The construction of the Arab Maghreb depends on the human element, he insisted, calling on UMA members to improve staff training.