In a statement to the press following a bilateral meeting with the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Development, Water and Forests Ahmed El Bouari, as part of the 12th ministerial meeting of the International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies (CIHEAM), Planas Puchades, said that bilateral relations, shaped by geographical proximity and a shared history, position the two nations at the crossroads of Europe and Africa.

This geographical positionning is of crucial importance for tackling common challenges together, such as security, trade and migration management, by adopting a positive and constructive approach, he underlined.

Welcoming the particularly favorable context of bilateral ties, Planas Puchades also emphasized the importance of the joint work program, focusing on strategic areas such as the modernization of irrigation, a common challenge faced by Spain and Morocco.

Discussions between the two ministers also highlighted strategic areas of cooperation, including sustainable agriculture, food security and the responsible management of natural resources, areas in which the two countries face similar challenges.

Themed “A Mediterranean Approach to Food Sovereignty: Concerns and Impacts on Sustainable Agri-Food Systems”, this high-level ministerial meeting falls in line with the political dialogues initiated by the center since its creation, placing sustainable agriculture and food at the heart of Mediterranean cooperation.