Morocco, Latin America & Caribbean To Establish Parliamentary Economic Forum

The House of Councillors and several Latin American and Caribbean regional parliaments announced on Wednesday the signing of a joint declaration on establishing the Morocco-Latin America-Caribbean Economic Forum. This forum aims to strengthen strategic relations between the parties and to set up a formal and permanent institutional framework for inter-regional parliamentary dialogue, with a view to developing cooperation and strengthening joint action on issues of common interest, a press release from the House of Councillors says. The document was signed at the “King Mohammed VI Library” in Panama’s capital by Speaker of the House of Councillors Mohamed Ould Errachid, President of the Latin American and Caribbean Parliament (Parlatino) Rolando Miguel González Patricio, President of the Central American Parliament (Parlacen) Carlos Hernandez, President of the Mercosur Parliament (Parlasur) Fabiana Martin, and President of the Andean Parliament Gustavo Pacheco, the press release adds. As part of the relations of understanding, friendship and cooperation between Morocco and countries of Latin America and the Caribbean, based on a spirit of consultation and mutual respect, this announcement confirms the importance of the Kingdom’s geostrategic role in its regional environment, as an essential partner on the African continent and a reliable and solid gateway for countries of Latin America and the Caribbean to Africa and the Arab world. It also highlights Latin American and Caribbean countries as an influential economic bloc in the South, and as a strategic gateway for Morocco, with its promising infrastructure and logistics, the same source notes. The objective of this initiative is also to strengthen parliamentary cooperation between the Kingdom and regional parliamentary groupings in Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as various joint initiatives undertaken with the House of Councillors, as an advanced partner to these parliaments, and as the institution hosting the secretariat of the Parliamentary Forum of African, Latin American and Caribbean Countries (AFROLAC), with the aim of promoting regional integration, economic development and cultural understanding between countries of the South. The announcement also highlights Morocco’s Atlantic Initiative to facilitate access to the Atlantic Ocean for Sahel countries, which would make the Kingdom’s Atlantic coastline a platform for strengthening logistical connectivity between Morocco, Latin American and Caribbean countries.