Rabat, 02/02/2024 (MAP) – The Maghreb Arab Press Agency (MAP) and the Spanish News Agency (EFE) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Friday in Rabat to strengthen their cooperation in the field of media.

This MoU, inked by MAP Director General Fouad Arif and EFE CEO Miguel Ángel Oliver, provides for cooperation in training and internships for employees of both agencies, as well as technical support for media coverage.

Under this agreement, both parties also commit to mutual cooperation in content sharing and the execution of specific projects.

On this occasion, Oliver, who is in Morocco for his first visit to a foreign country since taking office at the helm of EFE, described the cooperation between the two media institutions as « extremely important, » especially in light of the significant changes occurring in journalism.

Oliver, accompanied by Spanish Ambassador to Morocco, Ricardo Díez-Hochleitner Rodríguez, and a significant delegation of journalists and EFE officials, also discussed the threats facing the media, including misinformation, emphasizing that they can be overcome through cooperation between media establishments.

« The field of journalism is changing, and this agreement puts us on the right track to provide our two peoples with a better understanding of current events through clear and transparent information, » he continued, highlighting the importance for both institutions to combine their efforts to face various challenges.

For his part, Arif emphasized the new opportunities presented to both news agencies through this MoU to expand their longstanding partnership in areas of common interest and address the challenges of the global media industry.

The signing of this agreement comes at a crucial time as MAP enters a new era marked by an innovative strategic vision aimed at establishing the agency as a regional and continental reference in information, he noted. He also underscored the crucial role of MAP and EFE in strengthening friendship and cooperation between Morocco and Spain.

« MAP and EFE share a rich history of collaboration and exchange. As leading news agencies, we take responsibility for providing our readers with safe, impartial, and balanced information that contributes to the promotion of intercultural understanding and international cooperation, » said Arif.

On his part, Diez-Hochleitner Rodriguez stated that « MAP is a great news agency » that continuously pays special attention to covering everything related to relations between Morocco and Spain.

Moroccan-Spanish relations are « unique. » They result from the « privileged » ties between HM King Mohammed VI and HM King Felipe VI of Spain, as well as the efforts made by the governments of both countries, he emphasized.

He also highlighted the importance for MAP and EFE to work together to promote a better understanding of Moroccan and Spanish cultures among the readers of both agencies.