Rabat – The Wallonia-Brussels General Representation in Morocco hosted a reception in Rabat on Wednesday to mark the annual Fêtes de la Wallonie and Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles.
The reception brought together Belgian and Moroccan institutional representatives, diplomatic partners, European Union officials and civil society actors.
The event at the Wallonia-Brussels Residence provided an opportunity to discuss the long-standing ties between Morocco and French-speaking Belgium and the range of cooperation between the two sides.
Chiraz El Fassi, General Representative of Wallonia-Brussels in Morocco, pointed to the wide network behind cooperation between Morocco and French-speaking Belgium during the annual September festivities in Rabat on Wednesday.
Speaking to Morocco World News (MWN) on the sidelines of the event, El Fassi said the celebration was an opportunity to bring together the different institutions and organizations involved in the relationship.
“These celebrations honor solidarity in French-speaking Belgium, but they are also an opportunity here in Rabat to bring together all of our partners,” she said.
El Fassi named APEFE, Belgian schools, the Circle of Belgian Alumni and the Belgian Embassy among the partners involved, alongside Moroccan institutions, European Union partners and civil society actors.
“All of these actors enrich our bilateral cooperation with Morocco on a daily basis,” she said.
A broadening partnership
The relationship between Morocco and Wallonia-Brussels dates back to a cooperation agreement signed in Rabat on October 26, 1999.
The partnership has since expanded across education, higher education, culture, scientific research, professional training and sustainable development. A separate cooperation agreement between Brussels’ French Community Commission and the Moroccan government was signed in 2002.
The current cooperation program for 2023-2027 was agreed during the eighth session of the Permanent Joint Commission held in Rabat in May 2023. It covers areas including education and research, culture and youth, energy and the water-energy nexus, regionalization and public policy, as well as entrepreneurship and vocational training.
In September, Morocco’s Office of Vocational Training and Employment Promotion (OFPPT) welcomed a representation from Wallonia’s public employment and vocational training service, FOREM.
The visit focused on digitalization, training program design and the exchange of practices in managing vocational training. The partnership also includes projects supported by Wallonia-Brussels International and the APEFE’s Min Ajliki program.
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Cooperation has also moved into industrial energy and water efficiency. In June and July, a project supported by Wallonia-Brussels International carried out an energy and water audit at Moroccan sugar company Cosumar, with the work aimed at supporting decarbonization in the food industry.
Culture remains another active area. In April, Morocco’s Culture Department and Wallonia-Brussels International opened applications for eight professional training scholarships for Moroccan artists and cultural professionals, with one-month placements in cultural institutions in French-speaking Belgium.
Political and parliamentary ties have also continued. In April, Morocco’s House of Representatives hosted the fifth session of the joint parliamentary committee with the Parliament of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation in Rabat.
