Report of the meeting of 24 February 2014 in Jette

Initial observation

• Belgian municipalities (especially the Brussel's region and some Walloon municipalities) developed for several years a decentralized partnership with Maroccan towns some of which have become territories of co-responsibility with the development of the SPIRAL approach in Marocco in 2013.

• The process of co-responsibility territories is particularly developed in Wallonia, especially with the Social Cohesion Plan in force since 2009 and now extended to 181 municipalities.

Objectives and progress of the meeting

• Acknowledgement of the SPIRAL approach, of the territories of co-responsibility and TOGETHER network, especially by the Brussel's region.

• Acknowledgement of PCS in Wallonia.

• Acknowledgement of partnerships already under way and their results.

• Reflections on partnership opportunities between co-responsibility territories beyond partnerships between municipalities and perspectives that this could open.

• Explore the possibility of launching a pilot in this direction with some territories concerned.

Results of the meeting and decicions

• The municipalities of Brussels region would be interested in the SPIRAL approach and co-responsibility territories : they want a training in this direction. This training will take place the 2nd or 3rd week of June and can also join this training interested Walloon municipalities (especially those starting for the first time in PCS) and also the Swiss organization Pro Senectute Vaud present in the meeting.

• Lot of ideas were advenced highlighting the benefits of a partnership between two territories of co-responsability, one in Belgium ans one in Marocco (beyond partnerships between municipalities. We can find in the appendix of this report a reference model integrating these ideas, especially the exchange of practices and methods, solidarity tourism and solidarity partnerships between producers and consumers.

• From the evidence of the interest of such partnership, it has been decided to promote them to Belgian municipalities with the goal of having a number of such partnerships between Belgium and Marocco (even Tunisia). These partnerships will play a leading role in TOGETHER network.

• Concentrate this experience on Belgium will allow belgian municipalities for networking, each municipalities solicited by his maroccan Partner can rely on the expertise of other Belgian cities and vice versa.