Morocco takes part in the «Summit of the Two Shores, Mediterranean Forum», which kicked off Monday in Marseille, France, with the aim of boosting cooperation between Western Mediterranean countries by implementing projects that support human, economic and sustainable development in the region. The Kingdom is represented by minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Nasser Bourita. The Summit is part of the 5+5 Dialogue, which brings together five states from the southern shore of the Mediterranean (Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia) and five states from the northern shore (France, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Spain). The European Union and Germany, as well as pan-Mediterranean organizations and international economic organizations present in the region, are involved in this initiative. The Summit of the Two Shores is based on the idea that civil society must be fully involved in defining a new and positive agenda for the Mediterranean region, the French ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a release. For three months, Western Mediterranean civil society groups from north and south worked on developing tangible solutions for the region. Groups targeted include young people and economic, social, academic and cultural stakeholders. Their reflections and proposed initiatives will be shared with leaders at the Marseille Summit, where priority actions will be identified. Five preparatory forums took place prior to the Marseille Summit. Each focused on a different theme: energy; young people, education and mobility; the economy and competitiveness; culture, media and tourism; and the environment and sustainable development. At each forum, around 200 members of civil society led discussions and suggested projects – instead of institutional or State actors.
