Head of Belgian Wallony government meets Morocco's premier

The minister-president of the Belgian Wallony government, Elio Di Rupo, who started on Monday a three day-visit to Morocco, held a meeting in the evening with Moroccan Prime Minister Abderrahmane Youssoufi.

Talks focused on the consolidation of cooperation in the economic and educational fields between Morocco, the French community and the Wallony region.

Rupo described his meeting with the prime minister as "extremely constructive."

He told MAP that at this time, when Morocco is making efforts, under the leadership of King Mohammed VI, to modernize the state apparatus, the economy and the education system, the Belgian side is willing to contribute to these efforts through joint projects with Moroccan enterprises.

The consolidation of cooperation will evolve around economic and educational projects, mainly through the exchange of youth, training sessions and contacts between enterprises, the Belgian official said.

The Belgian official will sign a tripartite cooperation accord between Morocco, the French community and the Wallony region. The accord that will replace the bilateral Morocco-Wallony accord seeks to promote projects based on inter-cultural dialogue and on cooperation between the civil society and to foster actions upholding tolerance. It will also back the use of the French language in Arab countries.

He will equally dedicate the offices of the Wallony-Brussels delegation in Morocco and will visit a number of Wallony-backed projects in Morocco.

These are all elements likely to strengthen friendship and enhance cooperation between the two countries, he said.