Minister of Economic Inclusion, Small Enterprises, Employment and Skills, Younes Sekkouri, on Monday held talks in Marrakech with the European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, Nicolas Chmit, as well as the Italian Minister of Labor and Social Policies, Andrea Orlando, which focused on ways to strengthen cooperation in the areas of employment and vocational training.
These talks take place on the eve of the opening of the 5th Ministerial Meeting of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) on employment and work, scheduled for May 17-18 in Marrakech.
In a statement to M24, MAP's continuous news TV channel, Mr. Chmit said that these talks were an opportunity to discuss the prospects for cooperation between the European Commission and Morocco in the areas of employment and vocational training, welcoming the Moroccan policy of modernization and promotion of employment in all its forms, seeking the integration of young people into the job market.
The EU official added that he seized this opportunity to visit an establishment dedicated to the integration of young people in difficult situation, to education and training as issues that are at the center of the concerns of European policies and representing areas of cooperation with Morocco.
"There are several issues to be shared according to new approaches given the economic changes and also because we are facing common challenges, particularly those relating to young people", he added, noting that the integration of young people into the labor market is a priority through the development of a series of concrete projects, benefiting from the support of the European Union.
In a similar statement, Mr. Andrea Orlando described his meetings with Mr. Sekkouri as "very important", noting that this meeting was an opportunity to discuss cooperation in the areas of vocational training and the integration of young people into the labor market in both countries.
"This is likely to promote circular migration and the creation of common markets", he added, while recalling the historical relations between Morocco and Italy.
The Ministers of the Member States from the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) will gather in Marrakech for the 5th UfM Ministerial on Employment and Labour, hosted by Morocco.
The Ministerial meeting will be preceded by a Ministerial policy conference on employment and employability of the most vulnerable, especially among youth and women.
The meeting is hosted by the Ministry of economic inclusion, small enterprises, employment and skills of the Kingdom of Morocco and co-chaired by the European Commission in charge of Jobs and Social Rights, and the Ministry of Labour of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, in the presence of Secretariat of the Union for the Mediterranean.
Ministers and Member States representatives will discuss pressing labour market challenges in the Euro-Mediterranean region, in particular the way forward to ensure an inclusive, green, digital and sustainable recovery for the most vulnerable groups, especially youth and women.
