Morocco Portugal Sign 12 Cooperation Agreements in Strategic Areas

Morocco and Portugal signed, Friday in Lisbon, 12 agreements covering different strategic areas, with the aim of strengthening their bilateral cooperation.

These agreements, which were signed during a ceremony under the joint chairmanship of the Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch and the Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa, on the occasion of the 14th High-Level Meeting (HLM), concern particularly the economic, energy, cultural, higher education, crafts, social solidarity and justice fields.

It is an Agreement on cooperation in civil protection between both countries’ governments which was signed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation, and Moroccan Expatiates Nasser Bourita and his Portuguese peer Joao Gomes Cravinho. This agreement establishes the legal framework applicable to civil protection, which includes the protection of people, property against serious accidents and disasters of natural or technological origin, in accordance with the laws in force in both countries.

The two ministers also signed a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the legal field of training and administration of justice. It defines the conditions of institutional cooperation in the legal field, training and administration of justice between the two Ministries of Justice, and this through the exchange of information on legislation and jurisprudence, the exchange of experience in this area, the promotion of cooperation in the training of judges and judicial police officers.

A second memorandum of understanding in the field of development and encouragement of housing in the rural world was signed by Bourita and Marina Gonçalves, Minister of Housing, to intensify cooperation between the two countries, with the aim of developing partnerships in the field of development and promotion of rural housing, through the exchange of experience and information and technical and social assistance in the field of land management, as well as the exchange of experience in the field of sustainable development in construction and renewable energy.

In the cultural field, the two countries have signed a program of Implementation of the Cultural and Scientific Agreement for the years 2023-2024. Signed by Bourita and Cravinho, this Implementation Program presents a general framework for cooperation between the two countries in the areas of language, education, scientific and technological research, culture, communication, sports and youth.

Morocco and Portugal have also signed a memorandum of understanding between the Ministry of Solidarity, Social Integration and Family and the Ministry of Labor, Solidarity and Social Security.

Morocco and Portugal have also signed a memorandum of understanding between the Ministry of Solidarity, Social Integration and Family and the Ministry of Labor, Solidarity and Social Security.

Under this memorandum of understanding, signed by Bourita and Ana Mendes Godinho, Minister of Labor, Solidarity and Social Security, the two parties agree to develop their cooperation in the social fields, to fight against violence against women, improve the provision of services and care in the social protection establishments, promote the rights of children and people with disabilities.

In the field of Handicrafts and Social Economy, a Memorandum of Understanding between the governments of the two countries was signed by Fatim-Zahra Ammor, Minister of Tourism, Handicrafts and Social and Solidarity Economy and Ana Mendes Godinho, Portuguese Minister of Labor, Solidarity and Social Security, with the aim of establishing a legal framework for cooperation in the field of handicrafts and Social Economy and solidarity, through the exchange of experience and expertise in the field of vocational training and development of artisans, encouraging professional partnership and exchange of documentation.

The two countries also signed a draft implementation program in the field of tourism for the years 2023-2025. Signed by Ammor and António Costa Silva, Minister of Economy and Sea, it aims to promote cooperation between the two countries in the field of tourism, through the exchange of expertise, know-how in tourism engineering, best practices on sustainable tourism and experience in setting up and operating support schemes for SMEs, the development of training and qualification of human resources working in the tourism sector, as well as the development of joint promotional actions in distant markets.

On the same occasion, a memorandum of understanding in the field of research and development was signed by Abdellatif Miraoui, Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Innovation and Elvira Fortunato, Minister of Science, Technology and Higher Education. The Memorandum of Understanding aims to define the terms and conditions of collaboration between the Parties in priority areas and high potential partnership related to higher education, scientific research and innovation through the promotion of academic and scientific cooperation, the development of exchanges and mobility of students.

In addition, a memorandum of understanding in the field of environment and sustainable development was signed by Laila Benali, Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, and Duarte Cordeiro, Minister of Environment and Climate Action.

It aims to develop bilateral cooperation in the field of environment and sustainable development, environmental governance, energy transition, liquid sanitation and industrial depollution, through the exchange of information and visits, reciprocal hosting of trainees, as well as any form of cooperation agreed by both Parties.

In the areas of Youth, Women and non-discrimination, Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid, Minister of Youth, Culture and Communication, and Ana Catarina Mendes, Deputy Minister and Parliamentary Affairs, signed another memorandum of understanding with the goals of developing cooperation in the areas of youth and women, through the exchange of expertise and best practices, support for the governance of youth centers, the promotion of women’s entrepreneurship and the economic and social empowerment of women.

In addition, a draft Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Investment, Convergence and Policy Evaluation and the Secretariat of State for International Trade and Foreign Investment, was signed by Mohcine Jazouli, Minister Delegate to the Head of Government in charge of Investment, Convergence and Evaluation of Public Policies, and Bernardo Ivo Cruz, Secretary of State for Internationalization.

The purpose of this Protocol is to define the strategic directions, priority sectors and implementation modalities of the collaboration between the Parties involved, especially in the promotion and facilitation of direct investments between the two countries in the economic sectors.

On the same occasion, a Draft Protocol of Cooperation in the field of ports between the National Agency of Ports (ANP) and the Association of Ports of Portugal (APP) was signed by Othmane Bahnini, Ambassador of Morocco in Lisbon, and Joao Gomes Cravinho, Portuguese Minister of Foreign Affairs, with the aim of establishing a framework to promote cooperation between the APP and the ANP to establish a system of exchanges of experience and expertise and best practices to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of port services and promote their respective ports.

ALdar : LA MAP