The TRIPOLI POST
Libya’s interim Prime Minister, Dr Abdurrahim el-Keeb is leading a delegation made up of top Libyan officials, for a two-day visit to neighbourly Morocco, during which, the Arab Maghreb Union, the crisis in Mali, and bilateral economic cooperation between the two countries are expected to top the agenda in discussions.
Late evening on Tuesday, the first day of the visit, the Libyan delegation paid a courtesy call on King Mohammed VI at his palace in Casablanca where it attended one of the religious seminars hosted by the Moroccan monarch during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
Moroccan government sources said that Wednesday has been reserved for talks by Mr el-Keeb and his Moroccan counterpart Abdelilah Benkirane. At the same time, the other members of the Libyan delegation were to meet members of Morocco’s Islamist-led coalition government.
AFP reported a Moroccan official saying that the Libyan delegation’s visit would focus primarily on political dialogue and the strengthening of economic co-operation between the neighbourly states maghreb states.
Both countries belong to the five-nation organisation known as the Arab Maghreb Union,that was founded in 1989 and for a number of years has been dormant. The other members in the Union are, Algeria, Mauritania, and Tunisia.
Morocco’s official news agency, MAP in the meantime said the meetings will also be an opportunity “to revitalise the Arab Maghreb Union and identify partnership projects”.
Ties between Rabat and Tripoli have improved since the overthrow of the former Libyan dictator Gaddafi. Before last year’s February 17 Revolution, Libya hosted a large Moroccan community, estimated at more than 100 000 people. The situation is also likely to feature in Wednesday’s talks.
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