RABAT, Feb 23 (NNN-MAP) — Morocco is known in the Euro-Mediterranean region for its ambitious openness to the Council of Europe, says Foreign Minister Taieb Fassi Fihri.

Speaking at the opening of a seminar on propsects for co-operation between Morocco and the Council of Europe here Monday, he said relations between the two sides were characterized by a reinforcement of dialogue and an effective adherence of Moroccan stakeholders to this partnership.

The reforms undertaken by Morocco at the social, territorial, human development and freedom of expression levels were in perfect harmony with Europe?s political and ideological spirit which put the human element at the centre of political, social, economic and cultural policies, he said.

In this regard, he referred to some of the kingdom’s landmark achievements, notably the reform of the judiciary, the transparent 2009 communal elections, which witnessed a considerable increase in women representativeness, in addition to the setting up of the Advisory Committee on Regionalization in order to elaborate a Moroccan model of extended regionalization.

The Deputy Secretary-General of the Council of Europe, De Maud de Boer-Buquicchio, underlined the important relations between Morocco and Europe, stressing the need to further boost co-operation between the two parties in the fields of reinforcing good governance and promoting human rights.

The Chairwoman of the Executive Council of the North-South Center of the Council of Europe recalled that Morocco was the first non-European country to join the centre, commending the interesting participation of the kingdom in the centre’s activities, notably in the field of inter-cultural dialogue.

During the two-day event, held for the first time in a non-European country, several co-operation agreements were signed in the fields of health, youth, sports as well as an agreement on parliamentary co-operation.

Participants of the event, including Moroccan Prime Minister Abbas El Fassi and other Cabinet members, tackled issues relating to Morocco?s large-scale anti-poverty programme, the National Initiative for Human Development (INDH), the judiciary reform and co-operation with the Council of Europe, in addition to North-South co-operation in inter-cultural dialogue. — NNN-MAP

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