Nouakchott hosts first Morocco-Mauritania Parliamentary Economic Forum

The first edition of the Moroccan-Mauritanian Parliamentary Economic Forum opened Friday in Nouakchott, co-chaired by Morocco’s Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rachid Talbi Alami, and Mauritania’s National Assembly President, Mohamed Bemba Meguett.

High-level delegations from both countries were present, including Moroccan Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Mohamed Sadiki, Secretary of State for Foreign Trade Omar Hajira, and Mauritanian officials such as Minister of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty, Oumamou Ould Bibata, Budget Minister Kodiyouro Moussa N’Keniour, and Government Spokesman Hussein Ould Medou. Also in attendance were representatives from productive sectors, private sector leaders, civil society organizations, and policy experts.

The forum stems from a July 2022 agreement between both legislative bodies to create an institutional platform for economic cooperation. It aims to foster dialogue among lawmakers, governments, and business actors in both countries, while supporting sustainable development, strengthening regional integration, and providing legislative backing for bilateral projects.

Key priorities include encouraging investment in strategic sectors such as agriculture, fisheries, infrastructure, and vocational training. The event also seeks to promote the exchange of successful experiences and open the door to triangular cooperation with African and international partners.

Forum sessions will address a range of urgent issues, including food security, sustainable marine resource management, livestock breeding improvement, animal health, vocational training, and aligning workforce skills with labor market needs.

Held alternately in Nouakchott and Rabat, the forum is seen as a new mechanism to deepen the longstanding political, economic, and cultural ties between Morocco and Mauritania, while putting in place a system to monitor and evaluate the outcomes of its initiatives and agreements.