Upper House Speaker Holds Talks with Mauritanian Ambassador

The Speaker of the House of Advisors (upper house), Naama Mayara, on Wednesday held talks in Rabat with the ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania to Morocco, Mohamed Ould Hanani. During this meeting, the two sides reviewed the various aspects of cooperation between the two brotherly countries, while discussing the means to raise these historic relations to the level of the ties binding the Moroccan and Mauritanian peoples, including deep-rooted human and cultural ties as well as shared history and destiny, says a statement from the Upper House. Mr. Mayara expressed, on this occasion, his satisfaction with the level of bilateral relations, noting the positive development that marked them recently after the holding last March of the 8th session of the Moroccan-Mauritanian High Joint Commission, which was marked by the signing of 13 agreements and memorandums of understanding in various areas, the statement adds. In this regard, the Upper House Speaker stressed the importance of continuing on this path which gives the economic aspect its full role in consolidating bilateral relations, stressing at the same time the paramount importance of El Guergarate border crossing in facilitating the flow of goods and people. With regard to joint parliamentary action, Mr. Mayara expressed the readiness of the House of Advisors to encourage the two governments to undertake more efforts to deepen and develop bilateral relations, referring in this context to the ongoing preparations for the activation of the role of the Moroccan-Mauritanian parliamentary group of friendship and cooperation so that it can contribute to the strengthening of bilateral cooperation and raise it to the highest level. For his part, the Mauritanian ambassador expressed the strong will that drives his country to boost Morocco-Mauritania relations, particularly in the economic aspect, to strengthen cultural and human relations between the two countries as well as joint parliamentary action. In this regard, the Mauritanian diplomat welcomed the encouraging process of bilateral relations in the various fields as well as the promising indicators in the tourism, health and education sectors, expressing the wish to see greater private sector support to this dynamic as well as an increased strengthening of cooperation between the economic stakeholders of the two countries in order to serve the interests of the two brotherly peoples. On this occasion, he insisted on the need to act to ease the conditions of movement of investors and to accelerate the treatment of problems related to the granting of visas to the territories of the two countries. Furthermore, and in connection with the regional security situation, the two sides noted the convergence of their points of view on the seriousness of the instability raging in the Sahelo-Saharan region and its serious impact on neighboring countries, noting that this situation requires close cooperation and coordination between the parties concerned in order to meet the challenges relating to security and the fight against drug trafficking. They also recalled in this regard the recent meeting held in Marrakesh of the International Coalition to Defeat ISIS.