L. Fituni, I. Abramova Resource Potential of Africa and Russia's ...

tion." The participants in the Rabat talks "agreed that both sides
would make every possible effort to convene the next meeting of the
intergovernmental commission on economic and scientific and technical
cooperation as soon as possible," which would "give new impetus
to Russian-Moroccan relations."
The means to boost agricultural cooperation were at the heart of
a meeting held in Moscow between Moroccan Agriculture and Fisheries
Minister Aziz Akhannouch and Russian Agriculture Minister
Elena Skrynnik in June 2010. The two officials examined the agriculture
strategies of their respective countries in addition to the
means to facilitate the access of Morocco's agricultural products to
the Russian market. The meeting was also an opportunity to highlight
Morocco’s green plan, which aims at boosting the contribution
of agriculture to the GDP, developing agricultural production at the
qualitative and quantitative levels, fostering agricultural products
exports, and ensuring a rational use of irrigation water resources. 31
Morocco is willing to promote its exports to Russia to exceed
350,000 tons of fruits and vegetables, Akhannouch said. For her part
the Russian Minister underlined that Morocco remains an important
African partner for Russia. Morocco and Russia renewed the threeyear
fisheries agreement sealed in 1995. The agreement, which
spanned two years, was signed by Agriculture and Fisheries Minister,
Aziz Akhannouch, and president of the Federal Agency for
Fishery of the Russian Federation, Andrey Krainiy. According to the
accord, the authorized annual fishing quota will be decreased by
50% and the direct payment of the financial contribution by the Russian
state will be introduced. The accord concerns small pelagic
from the South Atlantic, and allows Russian ships to fish in accordance
with the Small Pelagic Development Plan. According to the
agreement, ships will be monitored by satellites, scientific observers
will be on board and the catches’ reports will be submitted. On the
scientific level, both sides agreed on offering Moroccan students
grants in Russian institutions and organizing prospecting campaigns
to evaluate Morocco’s fish resources.
The signing of the agreement may reinforce bilateral economic
relations and will open new cooperation prospects for both coun-
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