Maghreban states seek to coordinate action to become efficient interlocutor

Moroccan minister of the interior, Driss Basri, who arrived in Algiers on Sunday to take part in the 5th meeting of interior ministers of Western Mediterranean countries, said the meeting provides opportunity to Maghreban states to coordinate actions so that the Maghreb become an efficient interlocutor of other regional groupings.

Basri said upon arrival that the meeting also provides opportunity to carry on consultations on issues of common concern between the two brotherly states, Morocco and Algeria.

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

The Mediterranean ministerial conference is discussing a set of issues including struggle against organized crime, the movement of persons, cooperation in matters of struggle against incidence of natural hazards and civilians' rescue operations and cooperation between local councils especially in urban management, devolution, and administrative reform and modernization.

The meeting, to wind up later in the day, is to adopt the Algiers Declaration.