EU delegation visits Morocco's Beni Mellal-Khénifra region

Seventeen representatives from European Union countries in Morocco are visiting the Beni Mellal-Khénifra region on February 24-25 for a meeting within the framework of Morocco-EU partnership in support of inclusive economic and social development. The goal of this visit is to better understand the region's realities and showcase the impact of regional cooperation on the local level.

«We are here in Beni Mellal, with my fellow Ambassadors of the European Union member states, to better understand the opportunities and challenges of the Beni Mellal-Khénifra region and to illustrate the contribution of this partnership to local development. The EU and Moroccan authorities are working jointly to support employment and the prosperity of small and medium enterprises, acting as a catalyst for job creation in the region», stated Patricia Llombart Cussac, EU ambassador to Morocco.

According to a statement, the members of the delegation will visit the Beni Mellal Agropole, a public-private partnership aimed at enhancing the region's agricultural production and developing its attractiveness as an agro-industrial hub. They will also tour the Heritage Interpretation Center at the Ain Asserdoune tourist site and the SANAD Cooperative, which is 100% female, to discover local and traditional products.

These two days are also marked by visits to Morocco-EU cooperation projects, notably the multifunctional women's space managed by the Zohour Association, as part of the Aicha project, implemented by the Italian NGO Progettomondo, which combats gender-based violence. The delegation will also visit the Iklil Center, funded within the framework of the «Edu Solidaire» project for the socio-economic reintegration of people with disabilities, among other empowerment centers, factories, and businesses.

The delegation members were received by the wali of the Beni Mellal-Khénifra region, the president of the regional council, the president of the provincial council of Beni Mellal, and the president of the communal council of Beni Mellal.