ALGIERS, March 18 (NNN-APS) — The integration of job-seekers is among the “top priorities” of Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia, said Wednesday the participants in the 3rd Maghreb regional seminar on the integration of vulnerable categories into labour market.

The representatives of different employment agencies and services of the three Maghreb countries have presented the employment strategies and policies implemented for the integration of job-seekers.

Director General of the National Employment Agency (ANEM) Aziza Chibane underlined that the integration of job-seekers is “a top priority in Algeria,” which has set up a public employment service aiming at improving the openness of labour market and providing specialized assistance to the underprivileged people on the labour market.

Meanwhile, Maghreb Finance Ministers agreed to reopen discussions on the creation of a Maghreb customs cooperation council, the Algerian Finance Ministry said Wednesday in a communiqué.

The ministers reached to this agreement Tuesday at the end of the 7th session of the Maghreb Finance Ministers’ Council, held in Algiers on March 15 and 16.

They also agreed to set up the Investment and Trade Bank by end of 2010. Its capital amounts to US$ 500 million, equitably shared between the five member states of the Arab Maghreb Countries (AMU), the ministry said, adding that the subscribed capital is US$ 150 million, of which US$ 37.5 million has been released, i.e. US$ 7.5 million by each country. — NNN-APS

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