In a joint statement issued after talks Monday in Rabat with Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates Nasser Bourita, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Kingdom of Cambodia, Prak Sokhonn expressed his admiration for the social and economic development that Morocco is experiencing.

Sokhonn, who is paying an official visit to Morocco on March 27 and 28 at the invitation of Bourita, expressed his admiration for the wise policies of HM the King to ensure the Kingdom's prosperity and stability.

This visit, the first of its kind to Morocco by a Cambodian Foreign Minister, aims to give a new impetus to bilateral relations and the promotion of economic, sectoral, cultural and scientific cooperation between the two countries.

In addition to his talks with Bourita, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Kingdom of Cambodia paid a courtesy call on the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rachid Talbi Alami.

This was expressed in a joint statement issued after talks, held Monday in Rabat, between the Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates Nasser Bourita and the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Kingdom of Cambodia, Prak Sokhonn.

On this occasion, the two parties welcomed the excellent relations between their respective countries, at the highest level, marked by friendship, mutual respect, consultation and coordination on issues of common interest.

On this occasion, Bourita hailed the remarkable progress made in Cambodia under the High Leadership of King Norodom Sihamoni, praising the Cambodian government led by Prime Minister Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, for the role it has played in ensuring decades of peace, stability and continuous development of the Kingdom of Cambodia.

The two sides welcomed in this regard the meeting held on January 25, 2022 by video conference at the ministerial level, as well as the third session of the Moroccan-Cambodian virtual political consultations held on May 18 of the same year at the level of directors. In this regard, they stressed the importance of advancing the bilateral political-diplomatic dialogue.

They also discussed, in a substantial way, the ways and means to raise this bilateral dialogue to the level of the expectations of the political leadership and the aspirations of the peoples of the two friendly countries, underlines the joint statement.

The two ministers stressed the need to promote trade and investment flows and develop cultural and scientific exchanges between Morocco and Cambodia, capitalizing on their respective privileged positions in the regions of Africa and Southeast Asia.

In this regard, Bourita and Sokhonn called for the encouragement of business communities of both countries to intensify trade and investment.

The two officials also agreed on the importance of organizing, in the near future, a business forum in Morocco or Cambodia, which will provide an opportunity for public and private operators of both countries to learn more about the economic potential and identify sectoral opportunities on both sides.

In addition, the two sides stressed the convergence of views of Morocco and Cambodia on a number of regional and international issues and renewed their firm commitment to promote multilateralism and contribute to the global agenda for peace, security and development.

Bourita did not fail to welcome the success of the Cambodian chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2022, highlighting the importance of the results of all the Summits and related meetings held in Cambodia throughout the last year.

Regarding Morocco's bid to become an ASEAN Sectoral Dialogue Partner (SDP), Sokhonn conveyed to his Moroccan counterpart his country's full support for the Moroccan bid, in line with the ASEAN process and consensus.

The two ministers also welcomed the mutual votes and support within international organizations.

In this regard, Bourita reiterated the support of Morocco to the application of the Kingdom of Cambodia as an observer member of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

Similarly, and given the friendly relations between the two kingdoms and Morocco's leadership and commitment to maintaining international security, Sokhonn expressed Cambodia's support for Morocco's candidacy for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council for 2028-2029.

Regarding parliamentary diplomacy, the two ministers welcomed the exchanges between the Moroccan Parliament and the National Assembly of Cambodia, particularly at the bilateral and regional levels, as well as within the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) and at the multilateral level.

They acknowledged the positive cooperation between the two parliaments and reaffirmed their commitment to uphold multilateralism based on international laws and to work closely together to strengthen the NAM parliamentary network to protect, preserve and promote peace and sustainable development.

The two ministers also reviewed their cooperation within the AIPA, of which Morocco is an observer member, before exchanging views on ways to develop contacts between the two peoples through scholarships, academic exchanges, organization of cultural events, etc.

At the end of the meeting, the two parties agreed to establish, in the near future, a roadmap for the deepening of bilateral relations in order to develop a comprehensive partnership.

The two ministers also welcomed the signing of the agreement on air services and expressed their belief that this agreement will contribute to the promotion of tourism, business, trade and people-to-people relations between the two countries.

In the same spirit, the two ministers agreed to expedite the finalization and signing of three other agreements, namely the Agreement between Morocco and Cambodia for the reciprocal promotion and protection of investments, the Agreement between Morocco and Cambodia for the elimination of double taxation on income and the prevention of tax evasion and avoidance, as well as the Agreement on cultural, technical, scientific and economic cooperation.

These three documents will give a new impetus to bilateral economic relations and cooperation, as they constitute a solid basis for the development of trade and investment, reflecting the excellent relations that bind the two countries at the political and diplomatic levels.

Furthermore, and based on the shared objectives and ambitions for the promotion of bilateral relations and beyond, the Cambodian Prime Minister, Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, will pay an official visit to Morocco at the invitation of the Head of Government, Aziz Akhannouch.

Sokhonn has, in turn, sent an official invitation to Bourita to make an official visit to Cambodia in the near future, an invitation accepted by the Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Bourita and his Cambodian counterpart have also decided to invite the authorities concerned to increase the number of visits of economic and trade delegations in one or the other country and to encourage participation in economic, cultural and artistic events organized in Morocco and Cambodia.

This visit, the first of its kind in Morocco of a Cambodian Minister of Foreign Affairs, aims to give a new impetus to bilateral relations and the promotion of economic, sectoral, cultural and scientific cooperation between the two countries.

In addition to his talks with Bourita, Sokhonn, who is on an official visit to Morocco, March 27 and 28, 2023, paid a courtesy call on the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rachid Talbi Alami.

This position was expressed in a joint statement issued after talks between the Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates Nasser Bourita and the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Kingdom of Cambodia, Prak Sokhonn.

"The Kingdom of Cambodia fully supports the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Morocco and respects its efforts to reach a negotiated political solution to this regional conflict," said Sokhonn, who is on an official visit to Morocco on March 27 and 28, 2023, at the invitation of Bourita.

Quoted in the joint statement, the Cambodian Foreign Minister also stressed Cambodia's full support for the efforts undertaken by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and his Personal Envoy for the Sahara Staffan De Mistura, which are in line with the parameters of the relevant Security Council resolutions on this issue.

The Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister welcomed in this regard the "serious, realistic and credible" efforts made by Morocco.

In a statement, the Ministry said it had learned of this sad incident, expressing its "deep regret at this tragic event," while wishing a speedy recovery to the citizen in question, who was evacuated to the CHU Ibn Sina in Rabat to receive the necessary care.

The Ministry also expressed its full solidarity with the citizen in question and his family following this incident, whatever the circumstances and reasons, the statement added, noting that it is a contractual employee at the Mohammed V Theatre in Rabat retired since October 2021, and who enjoys all rights guaranteed by law.

The individual in question had submitted to the Ministry an offer to purchase his plays, which was approved, says the statement, noting that the Ministry had acquired two of his plays in 2022 and agreed to purchase a third in 2023, knowing that these plays have already been presented in Machraa Belksiri and Salé.

The Ministry is following very closely the condition of this individual and has charged an official of the Department of Culture to ensure this monitoring in the hospital, concludes the statement.

Organized by the Permanent Delegation of the African Union, the African Group and the NGO "World Against Racism Network", on the sidelines of the 52nd session of the Human Rights Council, this event comes to commemorate the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade, in accordance with the decision of the General Assembly of the United Nations, adopted in December 2007, which proclaimed March 25 of each year as the International Day for the Commemoration of the Abolition of Slavery.

The purpose of this day is to honor the memory of those who lost their lives to slavery and those who suffered the horrors of the Atlantic crossing and their struggle for freedom, explained Zniber, in his capacity as chairman of the African Group, noting that it is also a day devoted to examining the causes and consequences of the transatlantic slave trade, as well as the lessons learned from it, in order to raise awareness of the dangers of racism and stereotypes.

The abolition of slavery must not remain a static point in history, he stressed, adding that the "abolition of slavery must enable us to look forward to a better future in which our determination" to combat all forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance must be stronger than ever and translated into effective action.

At a press conference on Monday in Geneva, the fact-finding mission chairman Mohamed Auajjar noted that the FFM report recommends helping the local judiciary to be more accountable, noting that the mission has been cooperating with the International Criminal Court to strengthen accountability for international crimes, by sharing with the court the findings of the mission's investigations into international crimes committed in Libya.

In its latest report, the mission made a series of recommendations to the Libyan authorities, including the investigation of individuals who allegedly committed violations and abuses, effective disarmament, demobilization, and rehabilitation to establish armed forces and security units in accordance with international standards and practices, the cessation of all military trials of civilians, and the halting of the execution of sentences handed down by military courts against civilians.

The report's recommendations, which crowned the mission's work, also included regulating the irregular entry and stay of migrants in Libya in accordance with international human rights standards, the immediate release of arbitrarily detained migrants, the closure of secret prisons, the immediate release of all arbitrarily detained persons, in addition to full cooperation with the UN human rights system and the International Criminal Court, and facilitated, unimpeded, and safe access to these bodies.

The report included recommendations to the United Nations, the international community, and other countries. For example, the mission called on the Human Rights Council to establish an independent international investigation mechanism, and on the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to create a separate and independent mechanism with a continuing mandate to monitor and report on gross human rights violations in Libya, with a view to supporting Libyan reconciliation efforts and assisting the Libyan authorities in achieving transitional justice.

The MASI.20, an index of the 20 most liquid stocks, rose 1.03% to 839.94 points.

Dubbed Leaders Ftour Talk, this event, in its third edition, was an opportunity to celebrate the diversity, otherness and respect for others that make Morocco a unique country.

HM the King's advisor, André Azoulay, who took part in this event, expressed his joy to find an audience composed of all generations carried by "the same passions, the same convictions, the same hopes and the same ambitions for our country". He stressed that the Moroccan identity has been forged by "the richness of our history and our civilization". This civilization and this history, said Azoulay, "allow us today to have a presence, an identity and a specificity that is authoritative in the world".

Highlighting the achievements of the Kingdom in promoting and consolidating peace and tolerance, the advisor to HM the King said that "We Moroccans are the sum of all civilizations that have stopped in our country centuries and millennia ago”.

"This reality is unfortunately not the one that is shared around us," Azoulay stressed, regretting that the approach is often one of subtraction and not addition.

Azoulay added: "In a world that has regressed and where all the archaisms, fanaticisms and extremisms flourish, which we wrongly believed had disappeared. They are coming back. We must carry loudly and clearly this Moroccan voice that will be the compass of this community of nations that has lost its way a little”.

In a statement to MAP TV channel M24, president of MML, Marouane El Idrissi, said that the purpose of this ftour-debate is to show that Morocco is today, as it has always been, a land of coexistence.

"We chose Ramadan, a sacred month for us Muslims and which embodies the values of living together to tell the world that Morocco is a lantern of human values of coexistence and peace," he added.

For his part, the resident representative in Morocco of Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, Steffen Krüger, welcomed the holding of this meeting, which is an opportunity to meet around a ftour of exchange and conviviality.

During this visit, the delegation, also composed of Ghita Lahlou, vice president of the CGEM and president of the Human Capital Commission, Badr Alioua, president of the International Commission, Samia Terhzaz, deputy managing director and Marwa Tellal, head of the Communication, Public Relations and International Pole, held, in the presence of Lahcen Azoulay, Ambassador of Morocco in Bern and Christophe de Figueiredo, president of the Swiss Chamber of Commerce in Morocco, a series of meetings with representatives of various Swiss economic organizations, including Christoph Maeder, president of EconomieSuisse, the CGEM's counterpart organization, Stefan Barny, director of the Global Network of Switzerland Global Enterprise, the Swiss export and investment promotion agency, Michel Rheinegger, director of the Africa-Switzerland Business Circle,, and Vincent Subilia, president of the Geneva Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Confederation said in a statement.

Discussions focused on the complementarities between the Moroccan and Swiss economies, on the opportunities that the Kingdom presents to investors, especially as a hub to the African continent, as well as on the sectors of common interest in which Moroccan and Swiss companies could co-invest, share their know-how and operate a technology transfer. Moroccan sectoral economic missions to Switzerland and vice versa will be held in the coming months, the same source said.

This mission of the CGEM in Switzerland was marked by the organization, in Lausanne, of a meeting with members of the Association of Executives of Moroccan Origin in Switzerland (ACOMS), an opportunity to listen and exchange with these high-potential Moroccans ready to actively contribute to the socio-economic development of their country by initiating projects with high added value.

The meeting discussed several topics such as the development of skills as a lever for growth and the Royal Project of the Investment Charter which provides entrepreneurs with a series of incentives to promote private investment and job creation in Morocco.

Morocco and Switzerland have a significant potential for cooperation. According to figures from the Swiss Federal Office for Customs and Border Protection, trade between the two countries reached 778 million Swiss francs in 2022, an increase of 18.9% compared to 2021.

After recording a value of 347 million Swiss francs in 2021, Swiss exports to Morocco reached a value of 414 million francs in 2022, showing an increase of 19.3%, reports the Office. As for Moroccan exports to Switzerland, they rose from 307 million Swiss francs in 2021 to 364 million in 2022, an increase of 18.6%.

This development reflects in particular a net increase in the growth of currency from 6.5% in 2021 to 10.8% and demand deposits with banks to 8.9% after 7.6%, said the Central Bank.

By main counterparts, the money supply’s evolution reflects in particular the acceleration of 10.3% to 14.4% of the growth rate of net claims on the central government, and 5.1% to 6.7% of bank credit, while the growth of official reserve assets has returned from 8.2% to 4.9%, the same source said.

In the fourth quarter of the year 2022, the M3 aggregate showed an increase of 6.6%, following an acceleration in the pace of growth of cash from 7.1% to 9%.