The House of Representatives unanimously approved two bilateral agreements with Djibouti and Cape Verde, and four regional agreements, two of which concern African affairs, one Arab affairs and one is part of the French-speaking world, in addition to a seventh multilateral agreement.
In a speech at the presentation of these agreements, Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, Nasser Bourita, said that the first agreement concerning the protection and boosting of investments between Morocco and Djibouti had been signed in Rabat on July 15, 2022, noting that this agreement was part of the implementation of the High Royal Directives aimed at launching and activating channels of economic cooperation and investment with various countries, notably African ones.
The second agreement, signed in Dakhla on August 31, 2022, relates, explained Bourita, to air services with Cape Verde, and aims to establish a legal framework for the operation of the air transport network between the airlines of the two countries on the basis of fair competition, with the aim of providing air services that meet the needs of passengers and shippers.
In this respect, the Minister recalled that air services generally fall into the category of agreements that the Kingdom is working politically to promote on a large scale, through ensuring documentation of the practices of Morocco’s sovereignty over its airspace by controlling and regulating the air freedoms granted to partner countries to operate in the national airspace.
He noted that the four regional agreements include the African Energy Convention, signed on June 11, 2001 in Lusaka, noting that Morocco’s accession to this agreement is part of the Kingdom’s efforts, under the directives of HM the King, to support sustainable development in Africa and access to energy, develop resources and build capacity.
It also a question of an agreement concerning the constitution of the African Civil Aviation Commission, adopted in Dakar on December 16, 2009, which aims to ensure coordination between African countries in matters of civil aviation and cooperation with international organizations.
In this context, Bourita stressed that the ratification of this agreement will be accompanied by a declaration specifying that the ratification by the Kingdom of Morocco of the Constitution of the African Civil Aviation Commission can in no way be explained or interpreted as recognition by the Kingdom of an act, fact or situation, or of an entity not recognized by Morocco that would undermine its territorial or national unity.
The third regional agreement concerns the Arab Agreement to Regulate Passenger Land Transport between and across the Arab States, adopted on September 6, 2006, which aims to strengthen and develop social and economic ties between the member states of the Arab League.
It is also meant to promote tourism between Arab countries, remove obstacles to international passenger transport via routes between Arab League member countries, and ensure passenger and baggage safety.
According to the Minister, the fourth agreement signed between the Government of the Kingdom and the Agence universitaire de la Francophonie concerns the creation of the headquarters of the Academie internationale de la Francophonie, noting that Morocco’s signing of this agreement is part of the implementation of the royal vision for the promotion of human capital, as it will enable this scientific academy, the first of its kind in the world, to develop scientific cooperation in the French-speaking world thanks to the Agency’s network of some 1,000 academic institutions and 119 scientific research centers.
As for the multilateral agreement, which, added the Minister, relates to Convention 148 of the International Labour Organization, it aims to provide employees with an appropriate working environment in which occupational health and safety provisions are respected by taking preventive measures against occupational hazards resulting from air pollution, noise and vibration.
Bourita stressed that the seven agreements reflect the Kingdom’s foreign policy priorities as outlined by HM King Mohammed VI, four of which are economic, reflecting the importance of the economic dimension in the Kingdom’s contractual field, whether in energy, investment or other areas.
The agreements, he insisted, are also of a humanitarian nature, particularly as regards education and transport, but also the status of workers within the framework of International Labour Organization conventions.
