Within the framework of the South Programme II, the Council of Europe cooperates closely with Morocco and Tunisia in order to promote good governance and fight against cross-border and global threats, through the protection of human rights, the rule of law and democracy whilst helping those countries to meet the challenges in these areas.
During the first bilateral steering committees of the South Programme II, which were held respectively on 26 and 30 November in Tunis and Rabat, partners discussed results and achievements of the first year of implementation of this joint initiative between the European Union and the Council of Europe and have validated the work plan and the strategic framework for cooperation in 2016.
The creation of a common legal space between Europe and Morocco and Tunisia were central to the agenda , including the development and effective implementation of new laws inspired by European standards; the establishment and functioning of institutions of human rights and new governance structures; the independence and efficiency of justice; the fight against corruption and money laundering, the promotion of human rights , rule of law and democracy in Morocco and Tunisia and across the southern Mediterranean region, through the networks of the Council of Europe.
Discussions covered current developments and the expanded South Programme II cooperation framework, which aims to support Morocco and Tunisia in their efforts to anchor democratic reforms undertaken by the two countries since 2011.
The Steering Committee with Morocco was followed by a seminar, organised jointly by the Interministerial Delegation for Human Rights (IDHR) and the Council of Europe, and held in Rabat on 1 December, at the Mohamed VI Foundation for the promotion of social works. The seminar presented the Council of Europe key human rights conventions whilst also launching a bilingual Arabic-French compendium of these conventions.
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Representatives of Morocco, the Council of Europe and the European Union in the bilateral Steering Committee with Morocco
Morocco Steering Committe press release
Tunisia Steering Committe news coverage (on 00:25':22'')
Facebook page of Council of Europe Office in Tunis
Tunisia Steering Committee Programme
Morocco Steering Committee Programme
First Bilateral Steering Committee with Tunisia, 26 November 2015, Operational Conclusions (in French only)
First Bilateral Steering Committee with Morocco, 30 November 2015, Operational Conclusions (in French only)
Compendium of key CoE Conventions on Human Rights AR-FR
