Exciting experiences from Rabat to Casablanca

The official visit to the Kingdom of Morocco by Chairman of the National Assembly of Vietnam Tran Thanh Man in recent days, with high-level talks and meetings, signing of parliamentary cooperation agreements and participation in policy discussions in Casablanca, has created a strong impetus for economic, cultural cooperation and people-to-people exchange between the two countries.

Mrs. Nguyen Thi Thanh Nga and delegates visited the houses of the people at Vietnam Village.

Building strategic bridges

Taking place in the context of the two countries preparing to celebrate the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations (1961-2026), during 3 days of urgent work, the National Assembly Chairman held fruitful talks with President of the Moroccan House of Representatives Rachid Talbi Alami, President of the Senate Mohamed Ould Errachid, met with Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch, and met with leaders of the Morocco-Vietnam Friendship Association, the Morocco-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentarians' Group, and met with the community.

An important highlight was the signing of a cooperation agreement between the Vietnamese National Assembly and the Moroccan House of Representatives, inheriting and upgrading the 2017 memorandum of understanding. The new agreement opens a new framework for parliamentary cooperation, promoting delegation exchanges, sharing legislative experiences, and close coordination at multilateral forums such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the Francophone Parliamentary Union (APF). The two sides agreed to increase exchanges between young parliamentarians, female parliamentarians, and specialized committees, creating a foundation for long-term cooperation initiatives.

During the talks and meetings, the National Assembly Chairman emphasized that the Vietnam-Morocco relationship is not only a cooperation between two countries, but also a bond between two peoples, built from a common history of struggle and the aspiration for peace and sustainable development. That message affirmed the determination of the leaders of the Party, State and National Assembly of Vietnam to deepen the bilateral relationship, based on the foundation of political trust and great potential for cooperation in many areas where the two countries have potential and strengths.

At the policy seminar “Promoting Vietnam-Morocco Cooperation” held in Casablanca, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man and Chairman of the Moroccan Business Federation Chakib Alj witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding between agencies and businesses of the two sides. The National Assembly Chairman delivered a strong inspirational message to the business communities of the two countries: Although geographically far apart, our hearts are not far apart. Vietnam and Morocco need to work together to build an economic cooperation relationship commensurate with their potential, serving as a bridge for Vietnamese goods to penetrate Africa and Moroccan goods to enter ASEAN.

At this forum, the Chairman of the Moroccan Business Federation shared: With the efforts and determination of both sides, cooperation with Vietnam will become a model between an African country and an Asian country based on trust and efficiency, bringing mutual benefits to the two peoples. That is also clearly shown in the speeches of the leaders, affirming Morocco's strategic vision of valuing Vietnam as a leading partner in the ASEAN region. The specific and practical contents that both sides are very interested in are related to negotiating new trade agreements, removing tariff barriers, and promoting cooperation in the fields of high-tech agriculture and renewable energy. Morocco, with the Tanger-Med seaport system, the largest in Africa, will become a favorable destination for Vietnamese goods to penetrate the African and European markets.

Land of cultural exchange

The National Assembly Chairman and members of the delegation had the opportunity to study and learn about the Casablanca International Financial Center (CFC) model. The policy of economic development and integration through this model is currently of great interest to the National Assembly, the Government and the people of our country.

CFC acts as a financial bridge between Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. According to assessment figures from your authorities, in 2024, CFC handled more than 30% of international financial transactions in Morocco, including foreign direct investments (FDI). The corporate income tax exemption policies for the first 5 years and the preferential tax rate of 15% thereafter have attracted large financial institutions to invest and do business long-term. CFC invests heavily in financial technology (fintech), with more than 20 fintech companies operating in the ecosystem by 2024.

It is known that initiatives such as digital payment platforms and blockchain have improved transaction efficiency, reducing international transaction costs by 10%. In 2024, the volume of non-cash payment transactions in Morocco will reach 1.2 billion transactions, up 15% compared to 2023, most of which will be processed through platforms at CFC...

Participating in many activities in the host country, from the moment they set foot in Rabat, the political and cultural capital of Morocco, many members of the delegation expressed their impression and deep feeling of the unique blend between traditional and modern life.

On Mohammed V Avenue, young people in traditional djellaba costumes stand shoulder to shoulder with young people in T-shirts, headphones, and laptops. In the afternoon, the sidewalks of the streets are always crowded with young people and tourists, making the unique coffee and tea shops lively until late at night. The multilingualism of French, English, Spanish mixed with Arabic of the locals and international tourists also creates a multilingual, colorful space of integration.

This time back to Rabat, what we noticed is that life here is not as noisy as Casablanca or Marrakesh but exudes the charm of a modern development center. The Mohammed VI Tower stands 250m tall, the tallest in Morocco, and the Grand Théâtre Zaha Hadid with its unique modern architecture symbolizes the connection between the past and the future.

The meeting with members of the Morocco-Vietnam Friendship Association and the Friendship Parliamentarians Group, followed by a warm and friendly meeting between the community and the National Assembly Chairman and his wife in the Embassy space, exuded the sincerity and deep affection that the Moroccan people have for the delegation and for their homeland Vietnam.

On this occasion, Mrs. Nguyen Thanh Nga visited the house, met, gave gifts, and talked with the people at the Vietnam Village. The lush green banana gardens in the village, the green bamboo rows along the road in the city center reminded many children far away from home of their homeland. The story of the Moroccan soldiers who fought alongside the Viet Minh in the resistance war against the French, the Morocco Gate in Ba Vi and the Vietnam Gate in Morocco created a vivid, unique symbol of the friendship between the two countries and peoples.

For Vietnamese youth, Moroccan artists brought Aita music, Bedouin music style, the music of Arab nomads in North Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, the Levant in the eastern Mediterranean, or the movie Casablanca Beats, which touched the hearts of many Vietnamese audiences. The stories and sharing of Vietnamese people in Rabat and other provinces and cities who gathered to welcome the delegation further demonstrated the special bond between the two peoples, connecting the historical past and today's real life.

CHAPTER - Nhandan.vn

Source: https://nhandan.vn/cam-nhan-thu-vi-tu-rabat-den-casablanca-post896925.html