U.S-Maghreb partnership initiative to be discussed in Washington

The U.S initiative launched in the few past months to establish an economic and commercial partnership with Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia will be examined in Washington at a meeting between economy ministers of the three North African states and U.S. Under-secretary of state for economic affairs, Stuart Eizenstat.

Morocco will be represented in the meeting by Fathallah Oualalou, economy and finance minister, who arrived on Tuesday in the U.S federal capital.

The initiative aims to "encourage the three Maghreban nations to harmonize their custom systems" in such a way to intensify bilateral trade exchanges and hence, publicize their potentials to U.S. investors.

The initiative revolves around establishing a permanent dialogue at the highest level between the USA and the Maghreban states, encouraging these states to lift barriers to ensure a better flow of trade exchanges and materializing inter-Maghreban complementarity leading to better political relations.

During his stay in Washington, the Moroccan minister will meet several American officials on the economic and financial aspects of the Moroccan-American relations.

He will also attend the Spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank (WB).