Brussels, 06/11/2014 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 5 November, the EU and Morocco signed a memorandum of understanding in Rabat, establishing a financial commitment of 8-10 billion dirhams (€728 million to €890 million) for cooperation for the 2014-2017 period, a press release states.
This framework agreement sets out the priority sectors and their budgets on a pluriannual basis. The priorities of the programmes were “established in close consultation and coordination with the Moroccan authorities, civil society, EU member states and other relevant stakeholders. These priorities also tie in with the objectives of the political agreements such as the advanced status (2008) and the action plan for implementing the advanced status (2013-2017), signed in December 2013”, says a source. They concern “proper access to basic social services” for which, as a guideline, a third of the funding is to be allocated. Around 25% of the funding will go to “support to democratic governance, the rule of law and mobility”, and a further 25% to “employment, and sustainable and inclusive growth”. The remainder of the funding is reportedly to be allocated under the “multi-country programme”, and Morocco will benefit from this according to its political and democratic progress.
During the ceremony to sign the framework agreement, the European ambassador in Rabat, Robert Joy, said that this agreement is “recognition from the EU of the uniqueness of its partnership with Morocco” and “shows that the EU's support to Morocco is long term - despite the economic challenges facing Europe” (our translation). (FB)