Editorial

1999, "Morocco's Year in France"    

"Morocco's Year in France"(1) was officially launched on 29 January in Paris. A complete programme ofevents has been drawn up through steady dialogue between France and Morocco. The authorities of bothcountries have chosen to enhance not only the cultural and social dimensions but also the economic dimensions of their partnership. Convergence of views, cooperation, interchange are the key words of this operation in which many local authorities and French companies are also involved. 

To illustrate the quality of Franco-Moroccan exchanges, this Lettre de l'Isted presents several projects in the urban service sectors ? a delegated management contract between Suez Lyonnaise des Eaux and the Casablanca Urban Community, an underground railway project in Casablanca ? and in the port and environment sectors. 
Special emphasis has been placed on the environmental dimension of cooperation between France and Morocco. It has recently received a new impetus which should result in an increase in exchanges of experience. 

Isted, which is particularly responsible for monitoring and coordinating a Franco-Moroccan cooperation programme on roads, is actively engaged in many international projects. Its aim is to bring together the public and private sectors. The solutions it proposes combine public development aid and private company involvement in projects for which technical quality and financial viability are the criteria of choice. 
 

Jean Smagghe,

President of Isted (1) http://www.temps-du-maroc.net 
 

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