Morocco, Belgium to hold 3rd high joint commission in 2016 in Morocco, joint statement

"The two countries have agreed to hold the next meeting of the Belgian-Moroccan high joint commission every two years, alternately in Morocco and Belgium.

The next meeting will therefore be held in Morocco in 2016," said the joint statement issued on Tuesday at the end of the 2nd high commission held in Brussels.

Chaired by head of government, Abdelilah Benkirane, and Belgian prime minister Elio Di Rupo, the Brussels meeting comes after the first joint high commission, held in March 2007 in Marrakech. It was crowned by the signing of several cooperation agreements in the fields of foreign affairs and cooperation, social security, women's rights, and security.

Morocco and Belgium maintain strong relations of cooperation in various fields. With a cooperation program of 80 million euros for the 2010-2013 period, Morocco is the main partner of the Belgian bilateral development cooperation after the countries of central Africa.