Head of Andalucia Autonomous government in Morocco

Manual Chaves, president of the autonomous government of Andalucia (southern Spain) is currently visiting Morocco to discuss aspects of cooperation between the Iberian province and Morocco.

Chaves, who is paying his third visit to Morocco since he was elected president of the southern Spanish province, gives a keen interest to developing relations with Morocco.

"Morocco is a vital and strategic country for Andalucia," Chaves told Moroccan "Al Alam" daily. "The 14-km strait separating us makes Morocco the backbone of Andalucia's economic future, particularly regarding investments," he said.

The Andalucian official started his talks with Moroccan officials Thursday, with a working session with Interior Minister, Driss Basri, who hailed the level of "fruitful and promising" cooperation that the two sides managed to reach.

During the meeting, Basri announced that the two sides devised a vast cooperation program for the promotion of the northern Moroccan provinces through the intensification of public and private investments in these areas, Map reported.

The northern Moroccan regions were known as a cannabis-growing zone, and the government is trying to eradicate the problem through promoting the economic and social situation in these regions.

Andalucian investors have a strong presence in Morocco. Out of some 800 Spanish companies installed in Morocco, more than 300 are Andalucian.