Morocco works tirelessly to enhance capacity building in the least developed countries (LDCs) through the

South/South cooperation, which constitutes a major pillar of the kingdom's foreign policy, Moroccan deputy
minister in charge of foreign trade, Mohammed Abbou, said Saturday in Antalya (southern Turkey).

Morocco’s commitment to this kind of partnership is reflected by the various tours of HM King Mohammed VI in
Africa, particularly in LDCs, during which the Sovereign kicked off multiple projects, and chaired the signing of
several agreements, Abbou said at the Midterm Review conference for the Istanbul Programme of Action for the
Least Developed Countries.

In addition to its actions in terms of economic, technical, social and cultural development, Morocco, aware that
human capital should be central to any development strategy, has made training and capacity building an
essential component of its South-South cooperation programs with LDCs, Abbou added.

He also said that the Kingdom, which attaches great importance to promoting trade with its African partners, has
set up a legal framework adapted to the level required by Morocco-Africa partnership, by concluding more than
500 agreements with over 40 countries of the continent to encourage the private sector to strengthen trade and
increase investment flows to those countries.

He highlighted the decision of HM King Mohammed VI to cancel the debt of African LDCs and provide duty and
quota free access for most of their export products.

This initiative contributed to strengthening trade and investment relations between Morocco and African LDCs,
resulting in a significant increase in exports to Morocco, he said, adding that trade between Morocco and sub-
Saharan Africa jumped by 300 per cent between 2000 and 2010.

Abbou also recalled that Morocco is the second African country investing in the continent and the first in West
Africa.

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