The reinforcement and «enhancement of good relations» between the cities of Olhão and Agadir, in Morocco, and the creation of both joint projects and new funding opportunities between that African country and the University of Algarve. These were conclusions that emerged from the visit to the Algarve of Othmane Bahnini, the new ambassador of Morocco to Portugal.
And it can be said that, this week, since Monday, July 23, Morocco has been by weight in the region. In addition to the ambassador's visit, there was also the visit of a delegation from the city of Agadir, twinned with Olhão, to the Algarve.
In some moments, the agendas coincided, such as this Tuesday, 24th of July, when there was a visit to the exhibition “Carpets of Morocco”, in Olhão, and a visit to the City Council of that city, in which mayor António also participated. Pina.
Before, but in the morning, Othmane Bahnini was at the University of Algarve, where he was received by the dean Paulo Águas.
In addition to the ambassador, who has been in office for a short time, the delegation also included the first adviser to the Embassy of the Kingdom of Morocco in Portugal, Yassin Khatib and José Alberto Alegria, honorary consul of the Kingdom of Morocco in the Algarve.
On this visit there was a working meeting where Alexandra Teodósio, vice-rector for Research and Internationalization, presented data and figures that illustrate the cooperation of UAlg with this country.
For example, from 2013 to 2017, the Algarve academy integrated, under the TEMPUS program, the RECET project, coordinated by the Université Hassan 1er, in which more than a dozen Moroccan universities took part, with the aim of exchanging good practices and finding the best solutions for strengthening skills in the context of institutional assessment.
This cooperation, says UAlg, "allowed the first steps to be taken in the development of new projects".
At the same time, and within the scope of the Erasmus+ Programme, through several International Credit Mobility (ICM) projects, the University of Algarve says that “it has been consolidating its approximation with Morocco”.
In 2016, coordinated by UAlg, the national consortium Erasmus+ ICM – MARE NOSTRUM was approved, with the aim of promoting national cooperation from North and South, with the aim of attracting new students and disseminating existing opportunities in Moroccan universities in various fields of study.
These partnerships also "allowed the strengthening of the existing bilateral relations between the two countries, which benefit both from proximity and history."
This collaboration extends to the academic community level, with institutions such as Université Cadi Ayyad, Université Mohammed V Rabat, Université Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah and Université Hassan 1er.
As for the students, the Moroccan presence is also felt. Around 20 students from that North African country and 15 collaborators, including professors and researchers, have passed through UAlg.
Likewise, some UAlg professors have spent short stays in Moroccan universities where, in addition to exchanging good practices, they have been professors of some disciplines.
The Moroccan delegation also learned that the University also develops, with Morocco, projects in the area of entrepreneurship and maintains the focus on continuing to develop new and better cooperation relationships, both in the field of teaching and research, as well as in the business and of innovation.
And, as these good relations are to be maintained, UAlg looks forward to “future joint projects and new funding opportunities, which will allow us to continue to intensify these bilateral relations”.
The meeting was also attended by the former dean of UAlg João Guerreiro, familiar with the Moroccan reality and the projects to be developed with the scientific community of this country, and professors Karim Erzini and Amine Berquia, of Moroccan nationality, teaching at UAlg.
André Botelheiro, coordinator of the Communication and Protocol Office, Marleni Azevedo, coordinator of the International Relations and Mobility Office, and Hugo Barros, coordinator of CRIA – Entrepreneurship and Technology Transfer Division, were also represented.
At the end of the meeting, the ambassador was also able to contact some Moroccan students who are currently doing a master's degree at UAlg.
In Olhão, good relations between Portugal and Morocco are also expected to continue. The visit of a delegation from Agadir, a town that has been twinned with Olhão for almost 30 years, was an example of this.
The tour aimed to revive relations between the two municipalities and establish new terms of bilateral cooperation.
The delegation, headed by Salah Elmalouki, deputy and president of the City of Agadir, Mustapha Ennagachi, member of the Urban Council and Provincial Council of Agadir and Idaoutane, was also attended by the Honorary Consul of the Kingdom of Morocco for the Algarve region José Alberto Alegria and the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Morocco in Portugal Othmane Bahnini.
At first, representatives from Agadir had the opportunity to get to know the administrative structure of the Municipality of Olhão, having used the visit to ask questions about the municipal management model in force in Olhão and the Portuguese local and regional administration system, which they may put it into practice in their city.
One of the points that aroused the most interest among the Moroccan delegation was the management model of Ambiolhão, the municipal environmental company.
Another objective of this three-day visit was for the Moroccan delegation to get to know the main economic activities in the region.
And here, of course, the issues related to the sea, the avant-garde agricultural activity and environmental services come into play.
“The Moroccan delegation had the opportunity to visit various companies in the municipality linked to these sectors, which brought back value to added knowledge that they will now seek to apply in the municipality of Agadir”, says the Chamber of Olhão.
The agenda was also filled with work meetings, which focused on numerous topics, such as the exchange of information on the education system and possible exchanges between the local educational, cultural and sports structures in both cities.
There was also an opportunity for representatives from Agadir to visit the Municipal Markets, Ilha da Armona, the Municipal Museum and the Historical Center of the Cubist city.
On the last day, and in the presence of the Moroccan ambassador, both mayors signed a common agreement, which establishes short and medium-term objectives, which include the enhancement of good relations between the two friendly peoples, embodied in a «framework of exchange between the two cities in the cultural, sports and other fields, as well as through the organization of mutual visits between all elements of the two cities and their elected officials in the fields of tourism, fishing, agriculture and others».
The document also provides for the creation of mixed commissions of elected officials and staff from the two cities, who will be responsible for coordinating and developing these exchange programs.
At the end of this visit, the leaders of the municipalities were convinced that this will be a stimulus for the deepening of relations between the two councils.
António Pina, mayor of Olhão, underlined that "it is time to give new life to this friendship relationship of almost 30 years between Olhão and Morocco, in cultural, economic, but also sporting and even touristic levels".
Salah Elmalouki, on the other hand, made it clear that "Agadir is available to cooperate and resume the old relations between the two cities."
As for ambassador Othmane Bahnini, he left on the table the holding of a seminar between all Portuguese and Moroccan twinned cities, as a way of deepening relations between the two countries.
Othmane Bahnini, on his visit that ended this Wednesday, 25 July, also had a meeting with Rogério Bacalhau, mayor of Faro, and with Isabel Soares, administrator of the company Águas do Algarve.
Last April, the Câmara de Lagos was visited in Morocco, for a twinning protocol between this Algarve city and Alcácer Quibir.
Photos: University of Algarve and Chamber of Olhão
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