Morocco and Egypt prepare for high joint commission

Moroccan minister of foreign affairs and cooperation, Mohamed Benaissa, will meet next Thursday in Cairo Egyptian peer, Ahmed Maher, to prepare for the high joint commission slated for this month in Rabat.

The two foreign ministers will also examine preparations for the scheduled visit to Morocco of Egyptian president, Hosni Mubarak, to co-chair with King Mohammed VI the 5th session of the high joint commission, say sources close to the Egyptian foreign affairs department.

Last December 8, the head of the Moroccan diplomacy handed a message from King Mohammed VI to the Egyptian president and announced that Mubarak will be visiting Morocco in the course of January.

Meanwhile, the two Arab states will also convene on January 7-8 in Rabat their joint trade commission to assess the level of trade exchanges since the bilateral free trade accord signed in May 1998 entered into force. The session will also identify means to consolidate bilateral ties.

In parallel to the joint trade commission, a seminar will probe how to increase investments and trade between the two countries while the Moroccan-Egyptian business council will meet.