Morocco Hosts Delegation from Jordan and Palestine to Strengthen South-South Cooperation
Morocco Hosts Delegation from Jordan and Palestine to Strengthen South-South Cooperation
Rabat, Morocco — April 21, 2025 — In a significant stride toward advancing south-south collaboration, Morocco welcomed a distinguished delegation from the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the State of Palestine from April 21 to 30, 2025. The working visit, centered on fostering partnerships in the social and solidarity economy, reinforced shared commitments to sustainable development, poverty reduction, and inclusive economic growth.
The visit operationalized the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between Morocco’s Office of Cooperation Development (ODCO) and the Jordan Cooperative Corporation during the 11th Asia-Pacific Cooperative Ministerial Conference in Jordan in 2024. This landmark agreement aims to exchange expertise, empower communities, enhance cooperative resilience, and promote equitable opportunities across both regions.
Under the leadership of Mr. Lahcen Es-Saady, Secretary of State in charge of Handicrafts and the Social and Solidarity Economy, the delegation engaged in high-level discussions to accelerate expertise-sharing and cooperative capacity-building. Mr. Es-Saady emphasized the importance of translating shared challenges into collective victories, underscoring Morocco’s commitment to innovative, participatory approaches in driving social and economic transformation.
The delegation’s agenda included a meeting with Mr. Mohammed Dardouri, Wali National Coordinator of Morocco’s National Initiative for Human Development (INDH), a flagship program launched by His Majesty King Mohammed VI of Morocco. At the INDH headquarters, delegates received a comprehensive overview of Morocco’s pioneering initiatives to combat vulnerability and social exclusion. The presentation highlighted the Kingdom’s success in strengthening cooperatives, supporting income-generating activities for marginalized groups, and fostering grassroots empowerment through community-led development models.
The visit program culminated in a field visit to the International Agriculture Exhibition in Morocco (SIAM) in the city Meknes, alongside with Mr. Mohamed Dardouri and Mrs.Aicha Errifaai, where delegates observed the tangible impact of the Royal Initiative’s support for agricultural cooperatives. From sustainable farming practices to women-led artisan enterprises, the visit showcased how strategic partnerships and inclusive policies are driving economic resilience and social empowerment at the local level.
The delegation’s visits will continue across Morocco and will include several Moroccan cities, such as Tangier, Tetouan, M’diq, Fnideq, Mohammedia, Casablanca, Marrakech, Agadir, and Taroudant, where a series of meetings and field visits to local cooperatives and active institutions in this sector will be organized.
