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Friday 8 February 2019

Agriculture Minister Discusses Bilateral Relations with South Australian State Ministers

Vocal synthesis
Agriculture Minister Discusses Bilateral Relations with South Australian State Ministers

Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Development, Water and Forests Aziz Akhannouch held, Thursday in Adelaide, talks with South Australia's minister of State for Trade, Tourism and Investment, David Ridgway, and minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Tim Whetstone, on means to boost bilateral economic cooperation, particularly in the agriculture and fisheries sectors.

"We have noted a particular interest on the part of officials and operators of the State of South Australia to give an impetus to economic cooperation between the two countries," Akhannouch told MAP at the end of the meeting, which is part of a visit paid by a large Moroccan delegation to Australia.

"Australia has good experience in the fields of aquaculture and fisheries, particularly with regard to research and innovation," the minister said, calling on the relevant departments of the various ministries to implement partnership programs in these areas, especially since this country has expressed its readiness to support Morocco in these sectors.

For his part, Whetstone said that "it is very important to work for high-level cooperation" and to establish permanent communication to understand each other's needs in order to ensure complementarity between the two markets, particularly in the agricultural sector.

He noted that Morocco offers a gateway to the European and African markets while Australia provides a bridge to Asia-Pacific, adding that it will be beneficial for both countries to work to promote cooperation based on undeniable strengths.

Echoing him, Ridgway said that the similarities between the two countries offer several opportunities for investment and economic exchange, in addition to the transfer of technology and know-how.

"It is time to work together to build a multisectoral cooperation between the two countries that, beyond agriculture and fisheries, can cover other sectors, including education," he added.

MAP 07 February 2019