Youssoufi to convey message from king Mohammed to Libyan leader

Morocco's Premier, Abderrahmane Youssoufi, who arrived in the Libyan coastal city of Syrte on Tuesday to represent king Mohammed VI in the Sahel and Sahara summit this March 6-7 said he will convey to Libyan leader, Muammar Gadhafi, a message from the Moroccan sovereign.

The Moroccan prime minister, who will read out a royal letter to participants, told reporters upon arrival Morocco grants high importance to the summit of Cen-Sad, community of Sahel and Sahara states, in which it is taking part for the second time since its membership last year.

Youssoufi, who is accompanied by an official delegation that includes minister of foreign affairs and cooperation Mohamed Benaissa, underlined Morocco's goal to contribute to developing links among the 16 African countries member to this union, which is one of the most important regional groupings in Africa. We wish to make of this grouping a driving force for development in the continent, thanks to cooperation and joint action, he said.

The head of the Moroccan government also voiced optimism that the session will be a success and praised action conducted by the Cen-Sad union, expressing Morocco's commitment to contribute to further enriching it.

The conference will set in place the young organization's institutions and means to achieve economic integration among its member states.

Sen-Sad is today the largest regional market in Africa with more than 320 million consumers. Established in the Libyan capital city of Tripoli in February 1998, it groups Libya, Egypt, Sudan, Tunisia, Morocco, Djibouti, Eritrea, Gambia, Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Chad, Central African Republic and Somalia.