Cairo: Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli and Moroccan Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch on Monday witnessed the signing of a series of agreements and memoranda of understanding across multiple sectors, aimed at boosting bilateral ties between the two countries. The signing ceremony took place at the government headquarters in the New Capital, marking the conclusion of the first session of the Egyptian-Moroccan Joint Coordination and Follow-up Committee, held in Cairo.
According to State Information Service Egypt, among the agreements signed was an industrial cooperation protocol between the Egyptian and Moroccan governments, signed by Egypt's Minister of Industry Khaled Hashem and Morocco's Minister of Industry and Trade Ryad Mezzour. Additionally, a cooperation agreement in the field of youth was signed by Minister of Youth and Sports Gohar Nabil and Morocco's Minister of Youth, Culture and Communication Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid, who also signed a memorandum of understanding and an executive program for cooperation in the cultural sphere with the Egyptian Minister of Culture Gihane Zaki.
Furthermore, Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade Mohamed Farid and Morocco's Minister Delegate to the Head of Government in charge of Investment, Convergence, and Evaluation of Public Policies Karim Zidane signed a memorandum of understanding to promote bilateral investment relations between Egypt's General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI) and the Moroccan Agency for Investment and Export Development. In the realm of agriculture, a memorandum of understanding on combating desertification was signed by Minister of Agriculture Alaa Farouk and Morocco's Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Development and Water and Forests Ahmed El Bouari.
Two agreements in the financial domain were signed, covering mutual administrative assistance in customs matters and avoiding double taxation and preventing tax evasion on income taxes. These agreements were signed by Finance Minister Ahmed Kouchouk and Morocco's Minister of Economy and Finance Nadia Fettah. Additionally, several cooperation documents were signed, including memoranda of understanding between Egypt's Diplomatic Studies Institute and Morocco's Diplomatic Academy, cooperation in housing, electricity and renewable energy, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, as well as tourism. These were signed by Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Egyptian Expatriates Badr Abdelatty and Morocco's Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Nasser Bourita.
Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and his Moroccan counterpart Aziz Akhannouch also signed the minutes of the first session of the Egyptian-Moroccan Joint Coordination and Follow-up Committee, further cementing the collaborative efforts between the two nations.