Delegates at the ASEAN-Morocco Joint Sectoral Cooperation Committee (AM-JSCC) Meeting, Jakarta, Indonesia, Dec.1 (Photo:https:asean.org)Jakarta (VNA) – The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)and Morocco have convened the inaugural ASEAN-Morocco JointSectoral Cooperation Committee (AM-JSCC) Meeting inJakarta, Indonesia, marking the launch of the formal partnershipwhere both sides identified several cooperative projects and programmes inareas of common interest and mutual benefit.
The meeting adopted the Terms of Reference for AM-JSCCand deliberated on several areas of future cooperation. On the politicalsphere, the meeting looked forward to exploring cooperation in the fourpriority areas of the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP), as well as inthe areas of peace and reconciliation, combating transnational crime, includingprevention and countering terrorism and violent extremism.
On theeconomic front, the meeting looked forward to intensifying cooperation in theareas of trade, business and investments; public-private partnership; strengtheningof Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs); building resilienceagainst future shocks in the financial sector; sustainabletourism; transport; renewable energy and energy transition; information andcommunication technology; telecommunication; aerospaceengineering; food andagriculture, fisheries, aquaculture and forestry, including green innovationand halal food production; digital economy; creative economy; and Science and Technology,including research and innovation..
On the socio-culturalsphere, the meeting sought to explore cooperation in the areas of environmentand climate change; biodiversity; combatinghuman trafficking; preservation of cultural heritage; health and education, including scientific research; circulareconomy; and step-up efforts to enhance people-to-people contacts throughexchange programmes involving youth, students, media and artists as well asscholarships programmes.
In the cross-pillar sector, the meetinglooked forward to exploring cooperation in connectivity, including but notlimited to promoting local currency transactions and electric vehicle ecosystemas well as enhancing maritime connectivity; sustainable and smart cities; Initiativefor ASEAN Integration (IAI) and Narrowing the Development Gap; sustainabledevelopment; and supporting ASEAN as epicentrum of growth. Both sides alsoagreed to develop the ASEAN-Morocco Practical Cooperation Areas which willserve as a guiding framework in achieving shared goals and correspondingpriorities in the coming years.
The meeting was co-chairedby the Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for Community and Corporate Affairs,Tran Duc Binh, and Ambassador of the Kingdom of Morocco toASEAN, Ouadia Benabdellah. The Committee of PermanentRepresentatives to ASEAN or their representatives, and their respectivedelegations were also in attendance. Representatives from Timor-Leste attendedas an observer.
Earlier, the ASEAN Foreign Ministersconferred the status of Sectoral Dialogue Partner to Morocco at their meeting held on September 4 in Jakarta. The AM-JSCC meetingwas convened to provide direction and oversee all aspects of cooperation underthe ASEAN-Morocco Sectoral Dialogue Partnership framework./.
