Moroccan southern provinces member of an international cooperation network

Moroccan southern provinces (Laayoune and Dakhla) have become member of an international cooperation network made up of the Canary Islands (Spain), Azores (Portugal) and Cape Verde (Africa).

This membership was announced in Ponta Delgada, Potugal, on Sunday at the end of a two-day meeting that grouped members of the network that is also known as "Regions of Macaronesia" and intends to open a representation in Laayoune to make the membership official.

During the meeting held in presence of representatives of the autonomous governments of Canary Islands and Azores, participants pledged to finance in 2004 four social and economic projects in Laayoune and Dakhla.

The Moroccan delegation to this meeting expressed satisfaction at the integration of the Moroccan Saharan provinces into this economic space, made up of the great archipelagos of the Southern Atlantic, which will allow them an access to Europe and Africa through institutional mechanisms supported by the European Union.

Minister Calls For Modernizing Fisheries Sector in Morocco

Rabat, Nov 24 (MAP) - The fisheries sector should be modernized to enable it play fully its role, said, in Rabat Saturday, Moroccan minister of fisheries.

Taib Rhafes told the Moroccan TV (TVM) his department is working out a five-year strategy for this sector which provides 400,000 jobs and benefits nearly 2 million people.

He revealed that this sector has enabled Morocco to have one billion dollarsin sales in 2002 and to catch one million tons of fish. These figures, he insisted, can be improved if certain conditions are met.