"Moroccan-Spanish international cooperation and good governance" is the theme of a series of conferences that kicked off on Tuesday in Al Hoceima, with the participation of a host of national and international academics and experts.

This event, which continues until 30 January, aims to provide civil society with the knowledge and tools necessary to understand the concepts of international cooperation, participation in local affairs, and local governance, as it also aims to shed light on Moroccan-Spanish cooperation through the experiences of civil society.

Speaking on the theme of "citizenship and citizen participation in good local governance," the president of the Taza-Al Hoceima-Taounate Regional Council, Mr. Mohamed Boudra, addressed the role of the new constitution in enshrining the participation of civil society in the management of local and national affairs, particularly regarding the right to submit legislative proposals.

He also pointed out that non-governmental organisations in the Al Hoceima region have experienced great growth in recent years and have seen their role in local development increase, estimating that these actors must now face two major obstacles: the lack of qualified human resources and weak coordination between associations.

For his part, the head of the Spain-External Borders cross-border cooperation programme at the Malaga city council, Ahmad Khalifa, reviewed the Spanish experience in associative action and emphasised the importance of IT tools in promoting coordination and collaboration between different associations in the region.

He also addressed the practical difficulties that associative work can face on the ground, particularly problems related to the lack of funding and the deficit in training, as he presented cases of associations in the city of Malaga that have contributed effectively to the management of local affairs.

This event is organised by the Moroccan Association for the Integration of Migrants (Malaga), in collaboration with the Spain-External Borders cross-border cooperation programme.

It also focuses on subjects such as "bilateral relations between Spain and Morocco," "direct and indirect cooperation in terms of development in Morocco," and "border surveillance and the regulation of migratory flows between Morocco and the European Union."