The two countries aspire, in accordance with the High Instructions of HM King Mohammed VI and the strong signals sent by president of the Spanish government, Pedro Sanchez, to build very strong relations, said Baitas in response to a question at a press briefing after the Government Council's meeting.

The bilateral partnership is in the positive direction, which will serve the interests of both countries, he stressed.

Under Morocco's presidency, the G77+China has held numerous plenary meetings, 72 task force meetings and two working groups, for an impressive total of 79 meetings and 62 declarations.

At the handover ceremony of the Group's presidency between Morocco and Pakistan, Thursday in Vienna, Ambassador Azzeddine Farhane, Permanent Representative of Morocco, highlighted the implementation of the three main axes of the roadmap of the Moroccan presidency in 2022.

Regarding the axis of sustainability of the 3 sub-groups of the G77 (Africa, Asia, GRULAC and groups), Farhane recalled that in a context marked by unprecedented international and geopolitical tensions, the Group has preserved its fundamental principles in order to strengthen the collaborative approach on global issues.

Consensus has remained the driving force behind the success of the G77, which has always been able to reach common positions, Farhane said, stressing that under the Moroccan chairmanship, "all declarations have been adopted by consensus".

In addition, the 10 resolutions submitted by the G77 on technical cooperation and the peaceful uses of nuclear technology were adopted by consensus at the 66th General Conference, which demonstrates the leadership of the Group and the strong support it enjoys in these thematic areas, he added.

With regard to the second axis, related to the creativity of the G77 sub-groups, Farhane considered that the resolution presented by Angola and Peru on "Strengthening the International Legal Framework for International Cooperation to Prevent and Combat Illicit Trafficking in Wildlife" is a good illustration of the Group's creative contributions.

This resolution enjoyed broad support from non-G77 countries and was adopted after painstaking negotiations by consensus at the 31st session of the CCPCJ last May, he added.

In addition, the Group has continued to play an important active role with international organizations based in Vienna, including focusing within the IAEA on finding a balance between promotional and non-promotional activities of the Agency and strengthening technical cooperation programs, the diplomat noted.

Regarding the third axis, which deals with complementarity, synergy and dynamics between the G77 and other regional groups, Farhane said he co-chaired with the EU a meeting on ways to strengthen the political dialogue between the G77 and other regional groups and to launch constructive initiatives that could strengthen the spirit of consensus in Vienna on issues related to the various organizations.

He expressed his belief that this dialogue will strengthen the synergies and complementarities between the different groups, noting that this complementarity was highlighted in the process of negotiating resolutions presented by the G77 and China, which was supported by the EU Member States.

Farhane then handed over the presidency to his Pakistani counterpart, Aftab Ahmad Khokher. The ceremony was held at the headquarters of the United Nations Centre in Vienna, in the presence of Directors General of international organizations and ambassadors of the Group's member countries.

Last January, Morocco had taken for the first time the presidency of the Vienna Chapter of the G77, an enshrinement that reflects the trust and credibility enjoyed by the Kingdom within international organizations.

The handover ceremony was held in the presence of Director General of the United Nations Office in Vienna and Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Ghada Fathi Waly, Director General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), Gerd Muller, and Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Mariano Grossi.

It was also attended by Secretary of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law, Anna Joubin-Bret, Director of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), Niklas Hedman, representative of the Executive Secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), Robert Floyd, as well as ambassadors of the G77 countries and China.

On this occasion, Farhane welcomed the support of all members of the G77 and China throughout 2022 and reviewed the implementation of the axes of the roadmap, presented by the Presidency of Morocco to the group on January 26, 2022.

"Thanks to the full cooperation and active involvement of G77 members and China, the achievements of the past year have improved and strengthened sustainability, creativity and complementarity," he stressed.

For their part, the directors-general of international organizations and ambassadors of G77+China member countries paid tribute to Morocco's chairmanship and praised its leadership and successful coordination of the Group over the past year.

Last January, Morocco took over the chairmanship of the Vienna Chapter of the G77 for the first time, an achievement that reflects the trust and credibility the Kingdom enjoys within international organizations.

Speaking at the opening of a regional forum organized by the House of Advisors under the theme "advanced regionalization and the challenges of integrated territorial development: the Dakhla-Oued Eddahab region as a model," Miyara said that this region is promising thanks to the huge and multiple economic potential, in addition to its geographical location which makes it a gateway to Morocco to its African depth.

The Dakhla-Oued Eddahab region, he added, presents an economic offer that is not confined to one sector without another, adding that "fisheries resources provide the raw material for the food industry, water reserves offer the possibility of the emergence of an agricultural sector and the geographical location makes the area attractive to revive tourism of the desert and the sea."

Miyara stressed that these elements are the subject of a regional measure but with a broad national vocation, since this region is also framed by the New Development Model of the Southern Provinces.

He noted that this region is now promoting the advocacy for the success of the development choice, and for the existence of a political will to experiment a new mode of management that gives the local population the opportunity to manage its area through the rules of democracy and elections, adding that regionalization gives those who lead it the legitimacy to speak on behalf of the population and of its claims and choices.

The two texts were presented by Minister of Transport and Logistics, Mohammed Abdeljalil, on behalf of Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, Nasser Bourita.

This agreement aims to promote cordial bilateral relations and strengthen cooperation in accordance with the principles of equality and mutual benefit in the field of commercial shipping, said Minister Delegate to the Head of Government, in charge relations with Parliament, Government Spokesman, Mustapha Baitas, at a press briefing held after the Council's meeting.

It covers the organization and development of maritime transport between the two countries and the exchange of information necessary to accelerate and facilitate trade by sea and via ports, while ensuring better coordination of maritime traffic and shipping.

The agreement also provides for cooperation between the two countries to address obstacles to the development of maritime transport, in addition to strengthening cooperation in the areas of maritime training, maritime safety and security, marine pollution control and port management.

His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa expressed, during this audience attended by the ambassador of His Majesty the King in Manama, Mustapha Benkhiyi, his pride in the long-standing relations between the two Kingdoms, their leaders and their brotherly peoples, and his constant interest in strengthening them in all fields.

The King of Bahrain also sent his greetings to his brother, His Majesty King Mohammed VI, and his sincere wishes to the Moroccan people for further development and prosperity.

He also praised the efforts of His Majesty King Mohammed VI in developing the close relations between the two kingdoms, noting the high level of relations between the two countries that are getting stronger and prospering.

His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa hailed the good results of the meeting of the Joint Commission in terms of strengthening the ways of fruitful cooperation, joint action and mutual coordination for the interest and development of both countries and peoples.

For his part, Bourita conveyed to the King of Bahrain the greetings and appreciation of his brother, His Majesty King Mohammed VI, and the sincere wishes of the Sovereign to the Kingdom of Bahrain and its people for continued progress and development.

The Minister expressed his thanks and gratitude to the King of Bahrain for his attention and interest in strengthening the strong fraternal bilateral relations, stressing that the Bahraini-Moroccan relations always enjoy the support and attention of the Kings of both brotherly countries.

At a press briefing held after the Council's meeting, Minister Delegate for Relations with Parliament, Government Spokesman Mustapha Baitas, said the Council adopted the draft decree No. 2.23.26, presented by Minister of Interior, Abdelouafi Laftit, extending the duration of the state of health emergency throughout the country.

This project aims to extend the duration of the state of health emergency throughout the national territory, from Tuesday, January 31, 2023 from 6 p.m. to Tuesday, February 28, 2023 at 6 p.m. to continue to ensure the effectiveness and efficiency of measures taken by public authorities to stem the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, said the Minister.

Speaking at the opening of the meeting, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear and Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Policy, Richard Johnson, praised Morocco's efforts in the fight against weapons of mass destruction (WMD) proliferation, making the Kingdom a model in the North Africa and Middle East region.

During this event, Morocco stressed the importance of a comprehensive and collaborative approach in the fight against the proliferation of WMD, taking into consideration the dynamics of interregional security between the Mediterranean and the transatlantic space, in accordance with the vision of HM King Mohammed VI, for international peace and security.

The director of the United Nations and International Organizations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, Redouane Houssaini, highlighted the need to understand the new regional and sub-regional dynamics in the fight against the proliferation of WMD and their impact on international security, namely the proven and growing links between terrorist groups, separatism, transnational organized crime and the threat of proxies to get hold of weapons of mass destruction.

The Moroccan diplomat recalled the importance of the Rabat Declaration, adopted at the first ministerial meeting of the African Atlantic States held in June 2022, in which these States reaffirmed their commitment to make the African Atlantic space an area of peace, stability and shared prosperity.

The Miami meeting was also an opportunity for Houssaini to highlight the significant efforts made by the Kingdom in the field of non-proliferation of WMD, recalling the accession of Morocco to almost all international conventions and the establishment of a legislative and regulatory framework in accordance with international instruments and resolutions of the UN Security Council in this area, which make Morocco a model country in its regional space.

The Kingdom, announced the Moroccan official, will soon organize, in cooperation with the United States, a meeting for Africa of the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI), with the aim of urging again the countries of the continent to join this important political and operational framework.

Morocco, as an active promoter of the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI), was the only Arab and African country to be invited by the United States to participate in this multilateral meeting dedicated to the exchange of best practices and experiences in terms of the fight against WMD between Western Hemisphere countries and a select group of countries with recognized experience in this area.

The close cooperation between Morocco and the United States in the framework of the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) has materialized through the organization of several meetings, workshops and exercises on the subject, including the last one held in Tangier from 06 to 08 December 2022, with the participation of several African countries, which had the strategic objective of creating a community of interest and best practices around the challenges of non-proliferation of WMD.

The Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI), of which Morocco is an active member, is a voluntary and flexible multilateral cooperation framework launched in 2003 with the adoption of the "Paris Principles", also known as the "Interdiction Principles". The objective of this initiative, which Morocco joined in 2008, is to strengthen cooperation between the various actors through operational measures to combat the illicit transport of WMD, their means of delivery and related materials.

Speaking at the 42nd session of the Council of Arab Ministers of Social Affairs, Hayar stressed that the context experienced by Arab countries requires the development of common visions, the establishment of mechanisms contributing to the development of work opportunities in the field of care economy and invest in it, as part of the overall policy of employment and support for families, especially in the field of protection of vulnerable groups, through the guarantee of professional services of high quality.

With population growth, the increase in the number of elderly people, the shrinking of families and the emergence of health and economic crises, the demand for care services is expected to increase, including in early childhood, as well as social action, domestic work, health care services, care of people with disabilities, long-term care for the elderly who are not self-sufficient, noted the Moroccan minister.

The "second Arab decade of people with disabilities 2023-2032," which will be approved by the Council at this session, will be an important qualitative leap in joint Arab action in this field, she explained, adding that it will have a positive impact on the daily lives of people with disabilities, noting that this decade can also contribute to the implementation of efficient policies that guarantee the rights and decent life of people with disabilities, thus consolidating the efforts of Arab countries to implement the international convention on the rights of persons with disabilities.

Reviewing Morocco's achievements in this field, the Minister said that the Kingdom, under the enlightened leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, has taken a series of economic and social measures to improve the conditions of citizens and consolidate the pillars of the social state, including the development of the new development model, which attaches great importance to investment in human capital.

The generalization of social coverage, launched by HM the King, is one of the major projects of Morocco, and constitutes a real social revolution led by the Sovereign to strengthen social cohesion, added Hayar, noting that Morocco continues its efforts in the field of strengthening social protection and support for precarious categories, through the gradual generalization of social coverage for all citizens by 2025 and the development of a comprehensive action plan for the implementation of this reform.

On the sidelines of the ministerial meeting, Hayar held a series of meetings with her counterparts from Qatar, Palestine, Mauritania, the Comoros Islands, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan, as well as with the assistant secretary general of the Arab League, chair of the Social Affairs Department, Haifa Abu Ghazaleh, to exchange views and develop bilateral and multilateral cooperation in the fields of social protection, health care economy and the promotion of the conditions of the most precarious categories.

During these talks, Hayar presented the achievements of Morocco in the social field, including the royal project on social protection.

The Minister had visited a number of institutions and social centers in Doha, which work in the field of combating violence against women and in the field of care for people with disabilities and abandoned children.

This amount represents "more than double that provided by OCP to the continent in 2021 and more than a quarter of the total production planned by the group," added Jamali. Jamali, who was speaking at a panel on the issue of fertilizers, held Thursday in Diamniadio, 30 km from Dakar, as part of the Dakar 2 Summit on Food Sovereignty, held at the initiative of the African Development Bank ADB, the Government of Senegal and the African Union Commission.

In July 2022, OCP launched a large-scale program by making 550,000 tons of fertilizer available to several African countries, said the head of the Moroccan Office.

Food security is perhaps one of the greatest challenges that we will have to meet collectively," said Jamali, noting that "the challenge is twofold and is to ensure sufficient food productivity, while meeting the challenges of sustainability and environmental impact of our production systems."

OCP, the world leader in the plant nutrition market and the world's largest producer of phosphate fertilizers, considers that improving yields through a rational use of fertilizers is essential to meet this challenge, he added.

The second edition of the Dakar Summit, held under the theme "Feeding Africa: food sovereignty and resilience", opened on Wednesday, under the presidency of the Senegalese Head of State, Macky Sall, in the presence of some fifteen heads of state and three vice-presidents and heads of government, including Morocco’s Aziz Akhannouch.