Moroccan-Tunisian joint information commission meets in Rabat

The Moroccan-Tunisian joint commission for cooperation in information is currently holding its first session in Rabat to look into ways of bolstering this cooperation.

The commission is mainly discussing means of giving a new momentum to cooperation between the two countries' news agencies, audio-visual media and cinema production.

The commission will also talk about the exchange of publications and of radio and TV programs as well as about cooperation in staff training.

Earlier this week, the Moroccan-Tunisian joint business committee also held a meeting in Rabat to draw the broad lines of an agreement on a free trade area between the two countries.

The agreement, to be submitted to the high joint commission next July, is expected to bring up bilateral trade exchange from the current $103 million to more than $200 million.

The Moroccan-Tunisian meetings are taking place on the eve of a two-day official visit Tunisian President Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali will pay to Morocco as of next Monday.

The Tunisian head of state will meet King Hassan II in Marrakesh and will on Tuesday deliver a speech before the Moroccan parliament which will hold a special session on the occasion.

Morocco and Tunisia are both member of the Arab Maghreb Union (UMA) that also musters Algeria, Libya and Mauritania.