The Moroccan Minister of Economic Inclusion, Microenterprise, Employment, and Skills, Younes Skouri, and the Mauritanian Minister of Vocational Training, Handicrafts, and Crafts, Mohamed Maalainine Ould Eyih, met in Rabat on Wednesday to discuss strengthening bilateral cooperation in vocational training. Their meeting focused on exploring specific and concrete ways to advance cooperation in this area, which is crucial for both countries. The discussion built upon the framework agreement signed by Morocco and Mauritania in 2022. Skouri highlighted the meeting's aim to delve deeper into identifying the labor market needs of both countries and to introduce the Mauritanian side to the high-quality training programs offered by Morocco. As part of this partnership, Morocco plans to share its expertise in private enterprise training and provide vocational training opportunities for Mauritanian youth in Morocco through grants, Skouri announced to the press. Ould Eyeh expressed Mauritania's interest in learning from Morocco's «pioneering» experience in vocational training, given its essential role in integrating youth into the economic and social fabric through job creation. He also expressed his country's desire to be inspired by the Moroccan model of cities of professions and competencies and its system governance, management, and institutional rehabilitation. It's worth noting that during the eighth session of the Moroccan-Mauritanian Joint Higher Committee in 2022, the two countries signed a framework agreement for cooperation in vocational training. This agreement aims to conduct an institutional diagnosis of the vocational training sector bodies, particularly the Technical and Vocational Training Fund, in order to jointly develop an executive plan to enhance services to Mauritanian enterprises.
