In partnership with ALGA, students from the International University of Florida (USA) carry out their third study visit to Morocco

The African Local Government Academy (ALGA) of UCLG Africa and the Florida International University (FIU) in the United States organized the third study visit to the Kingdom of Morocco for the benefit of PhD and Master’s students of FIU during February 26 – March 2, 2018. The theme of the visit was “Contemporary issues of public administration at regional and local Levels.’’

The visit, listed as part of ALGA’s 2017 calendar, saw the participation of twenty students and was organized in partnership with the National Higher School of Administration (ENSA), the University of Al Akhawayn Ifrane (UIA) and with the support of the Moroccan Ministry of the Interior, (Ministry delegate to the head of the government in charge of the reform of the Administration and the public service, Wassit Al Mamlaka), the Moroccan Association of the presidents of Municipal Councils (AMPCC), the Province of Ifrane, the municipal council of Ifrane and the region of Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima).

The delegation was received on the morning of Monday, February 26 by the minister delegate to the head of the government in charge of the reform of the Administration and the public service, His Excellency Mr. Mohammed BENABDELKADER and the opening ceremony for the 6 days visit was carried out at the ENSA in the afternoon.

In his welcoming remarks, the Secretary General of UCLG Africa, Mr. Jean Pierre Elong Mbassi, stated the importance of diversity. “We all come from different backgrounds, but that doesn’t mean we can’t get together to learn from each other. The purpose of coming to the ENSA, which is an institution equivalent to yours, is to begin building authentic convictions between men and women engaged in the same profession. We live in an increasingly fragile world where solidarity is increasingly scarce. I hope that your visit to Morocco is the first step for a profound visit to Africa. Bring the best of your country to this continent and take the best of this continent to your country.”

The representative for the Director of ENSA, Dr. Chafika Agueznay highlighted the establishment’s goals for this visit, “to promote good practices in public administration…. And to consolidate the success of the two previous editions.

Professor Allan Rosenbon of FIU shared his appreciation for this special experience, “We don’t have a school of administration in USA. Thank you for inviting us to this sharing. It is a special experience for our students since last year where we were already in the premises of the ENSA.”

Students visited Rabat, Ifrane and Tangiers and participated in sessions led by senior officials, professors, academics, experts and practitioners punctuated by visits to various institutions including the Port Tanger Med and the free Zone of Tangier.

See the video report produced by  MAP  is available here in French.