Brussels, 18/04/2008 (Agence Europe) - Western Mediterranean countries (Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Malta, Mauritania, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Libya) back the introduction of a raft of infrastructure projects involving updating and improving the Northern African train route from Tunis to Casablanca via Algiers. The countries will carry out a feasibility study for a high speed train connection from Tripoli to Casablanca via Tunisia and Algeria, and ensuring faster building of a motorway across North Africa. The above was the subject of a memorandum of understanding signed in Tunis, Tunisia, on 15 April 2008 between the secretary general of the Union of the Arab Maghreb (UMA), Habib Ben Yahia, and the president-in-office of the Group 5+5 of Western Mediterranean transport ministers. The agreement follows up on the recommendation made in March 200y by the fourth meeting of Western Mediterranean transport ministers and the 11th sitting of the UMA's Council of Transport Ministers in Morocco on 19 March 2007. The signatories of the memorandum of understanding explain that further priority transport projects may follow. (F.B.)