Morocco and Senegal Sign Parliamentary Cooperation Protocol

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Rachid Talbi El Alami, and Speaker of the National Assembly of Senegal, Hon. Amadou Mame Diop, concluded on Wednesday, December 20, 2023, in Dakar, a Protocol on consolidating parliamentary cooperation between the two legislative institutions.

The conclusion of the Protocol took place under the scope of the work visit of the Speaker of the House of Representatives to the Republic of Senegal at the lead of an important parliamentary delegation comprising Rep. Ahmed Touizi (Chairperson of the Group of Authenticity and Modernity), Rep. Abderrahim Chahid (Chairperson of the Socialist Group-Ittihadi Opposition), Rep. Chaoui Belaassal (Chairperson of the Constitutional, Democratic, and Social Group), and Rep. Rachid Hammouni (Chairperson of the Group of Progress and Socialism).

The Protocol aims to pursue the consolidation of the policies aimed at advancing the appropriate strategies linked to the best practices in organizing and managing the Parliament, conducting studies, and producing technical documents in all areas as a basis for exchanges between the members and higher executives of the legislative institutions in the two countries. The Protocol also stipulates the organization of seminars and trainings for the higher executives and providing the necessary technical assistance to both institutions.

By virtue of the Protocol, the two parties express their commitment to formalizing and entrenching the friendship and cooperation bonds between them, particularly through the exchange of expertise in legislation, management, and organization, the intensification of communication between the parliamentarians and organs of both institutions, the coordination of positions at the regional, continental, and international levels, and the defense and consolidation of democracy and the rule of law.

Besides, the House of Representatives of the Kingdom of Morocco and the National Assembly of the Republic of Senegal agree on establishing a mechanism for the consolidation and sharing of parliamentary experiences through regular consultation, the creation of a forum for the exchange of views to facilitate the exchange of good parliamentary practices, and the organization of continuous training for the executives of both institutions.

To materialize the objectives of said cooperation, the two parties agree to hold regular meetings between the organs of both institutions, intensify consultation, exchange expertise on the questions of mutual interest, and exchange information between the two parliamentary friendship groups, ad hoc committees, parliamentary delegations, and the Administrations of both institutions. They also agree to conduct mutual study visits of parliamentary delegations to share information, studies, and publications on the parliamentary questions of mutual concern and to hold regular consultations on the questions that impact the citizens of both countries in their respective territories.

The Protocol also stipulates the agreement of both parties on establishing lasting consultations within all the parliamentary organizations where they are members and to coordinate their positions in this respect.

In his address on this occasion, the Speaker of the National Assembly of Senegal noted that the Protocol falls under the scope of reinforcing consultations and the fruitful dialogue between the Parliaments of the two brotherly countries. Hon. Amadou Mame Diop also commended the exemplarity of cooperation with the Kingdom of Morocco as one of the key economic, financial, commercial, cultural, and tourism partners to the Republic of Senegal, lauding the quality of parliamentary cooperation between the two countries, which features close collaboration within international bodies.

The Speaker of the Senegalese National Assembly added that this visit is part of the noble process aimed at reinforcing Senegalese-Moroccan cooperation, stressing that the two legislative institutions share identical views on the developments in the world in general, and particularly with regard to parliamentary activities.

For his part, the Speaker of the House of Representatives underscored the fruitful partnership linking the two legislative institutions, lauding the quality of parliamentary cooperation characterized by close coordination within African and international bodies.

In the same respect, Hon. Rachid Talbi El Alami expressed the readiness of the House of Representatives to strengthen its cooperation ties with the Senegalese National Assembly further. He also reiterated the Kingdom’s constant support to Senegal at the level of the regional, continental, and international bodies.

Alongside the Moroccan parliamentary delegation members, the ceremony also featured the presence of the Ambassador of His Majesty to the Republic of Senegal, H.E. Hassan Naciri, and the Chairpersons of the Standing Committees at the Senegalese National Assembly.