Morocco and the European Union signed an agreement today worth 110 million dirhams (approximately $11 million) to support "creative and cultural industries" in Morocco in three main areas. The Moroccan Minister of Youth, Culture, and Communication, Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid, signed the agreement with the European Union Ambassador to Morocco, Patricia Yombart Kosak, at the historic "Marrakech Tower" in Essaouira, which is currently hosting the Gnaoua and World Music Festival.
The Moroccan Culture Minister stated, "To reach the concept of cultural industry, efforts must be combined within a partnership to support culture." He added, "As in all countries, the culture budget must be increased, and I have sensed that the Moroccan government is willing to support culture and increase its budget." He emphasized that "with this culture, we create direct and indirect job opportunities in this city," referring to the surge in tourism during the festival days.
For her part, the European ambassador noted before signing the agreement that "culture has always been a means of rapprochement and mutual enrichment between peoples." She confirmed that the partnership with Morocco "will flourish and deepen through Moroccan cultural and creative industries," explaining that the European Union's ambition "is to contribute to creating job opportunities for young people and in Moroccan-European initiatives, as well as highlighting Morocco's cultural diversity in all its dimensions, including Moroccan Jewish heritage."
