Dutch parliamentary delegation confers with Moroccan officials

A Dutch parliamentary delegation currently on a visit to Morocco held on Wednesday a series of meetings with Moroccan officials, including Prime Minister Abderrahmane Youssoufi.

The Dutch delegation, led by speaker of the lower chamber Van Nieuwenhoven, also met speaker of the House of Representatives, Abdelouahed Radi, minister of foreign affairs and cooperation, Mohamed Benaissa, and minister in charge of human rights, Mohamed Aujar.

Moroccan-Dutch talks covered bilateral relations at the political, economic and parliamentary scales, the progress scored by Morocco to promote human rights and the rule of the law as well as the situation of the 250,000 strong Moroccan community settled in Holland.

Ms. Van Nieuwenhoven said in this respect this community and the active participation of Morocco-born deputies in Dutch politics contribute to promoting Dutch-Moroccan relationship.

Talks also touched on Morocco's great investment potentials, regarded as the basis for the country's economic startup, and the efforts made to fight illiteracy, unemployment, and the lack of infrastructures in rural areas.

Talks equally covered the Moroccan Sahara issue, the indebtedness problems, the Middle East crisis and the Euro-Mediterranean process.

The Moroccan side voiced appreciation for Holland's stance over the Sahara issue and expressed hope that Morocco's partners will convert part of its foreign debt into investment to alleviate some of this development impeding burden.

The Dutch parliamentary delegation that started its visit to Morocco Monday is to leave Friday.