The means and prospects for strengthening cooperation between associations and NGOs in Maghreb countries were at the centre of a meeting organised at the end of the week in Dakhla.

During this meeting, organised by the Association for Advanced Regionalisation and Autonomy in the Oued-Eddahab-Lagouira region, in partnership with the network of non-governmental organisations in Nouadhibou (Mauritania), the emphasis was placed on the numerous opportunities for cooperation and exchange between associations and other civil society organisations in Maghreb countries, as well as the impact of this cooperation on the reactivation of the Arab Maghreb Union (AMU) in the service of the peoples of the region.

This meeting, according to the organisers, is part of the preparations for the upcoming holding in Rabat of a Forum on the evaluation of the contribution of associations and civil society organisations to the socio-economic development of Maghreb countries, with the participation of representatives of the five member countries of the AMU.

Through this forum, which is intended to be a space for consultation and communication on the possibilities of partnership and networking between the participating NGOs, the Association for Advanced Regionalisation and Autonomy aims to create a centre dedicated to strengthening the capacities of Maghreb associations with a view to strengthening their participation in the development process in their respective countries.

For the officials of this Association, civil society is called upon to play a more active role in the revitalisation of the Maghreb union, given its capacity to build bridges of cooperation and dialogue in the political, economic, and social fields.