Morocco said Tuesday it will hold early parliamentary elections on November 25, as the Arab world's longest-serving monarchy pursues reforms in response to protests inspired by the Arab Spring.

The elections "will take place on Friday, November 25 following an agreement with the political parties," Interior Minister Taieb Cherkaoui was quoted as saying by Moroccan news agency MAP.

Morocco announced plans Sunday to hold early parliamentary elections in mid-November, as the Arab world's longest-serving monarchy pursues reforms in response to protests inspired by the Arab Spring.

During long overnight negotiations with the interior ministry, officials from some 20 political parties in the north African nation agreed in principle for the election to be held in mid-November.

Long famed as a tourist destination for its sunny beaches, exotic cuisine and historic sites, Morocco is now offering foreign visitors another attraction: plastic surgery clinics.

Only a short flight from Europe, the North African country is attracting growing numbers of foreign visitors looking to take advantage of lower prices for everything from face-lifts and nose jobs to tummy tucks and penis enlargements.

Morocco's King Mohammed VI called Saturday for speedy elections and the reopening of his country's border with Algeria in his first throne speech since a referendum voted to curb some of his prerogatives.

In the July 1 referendum, more than 98 percent of Moroccans approved a set of political reforms backed by the king following a series of youth-led, pro-democracy demonstrations in several cities.

After months of post-election conflict ground their country to a halt, Ivorian designers hit the catwalk in Senegal this week with a burst of color and a determination to move on.

Two designers will showcase their creations at the ninth Dakar Fashion week which kicks off Wednesday night, among styles from Senegal, Morocco, Mali, Ghana, the United States and France.

Moroccans on Friday overwhelmingly approved curbs on the near absolute powers of King Mohammed VI, with 98 percent voting "yes" in a referendum put forward after protests inspired by uprisings in the Arab world.

Interior Minister Taib Cherkaoui announced the result on state television after 94 percent of polling stations had reported results, adding that voter turnout had been 72.65 percent.

Moroccans voted Friday in a referendum on curbing the near absolute powers of King Mohammed VI, who has offered reforms in the wake of protests inspired by pro-democracy uprisings around the Arab world.

Faced with demonstrations modeled on the Arab Spring protests that ousted long-serving leaders in Tunisia and Egypt, Mohammed VI announced the referendum last month to devolve some of his powers to the prime minister and parliament of the north African country.

Morocco's youth-based February 20 Movement called Saturday for nationwide protests against constitutional reforms proposed by King Mohammed VI.

"The national coordinators (of the movement) have called for a demonstration Sunday for a truly democratic constitution and a parliamentary monarchy," a member of the movement's Rabat section told Agence France Presse.

Europe is looking to pump 1.2 billion euros of extra aid into fledgling democracies spawned by the Arab Spring as well as those on its eastern flank, according to a policy U-turn unveiled Wednesday.

Slammed for propping up despots and turning a blind eye to rights abuses in the past, the "top to toe" revamp of European Union policy to its neighbours aims to link aid to political and economic reform.

Morocco's foreign minister on Sunday welcomed a Gulf Cooperation Council invitation for his country to join the six-member grouping of Arab monarchies, the Emirati news agency WAM reported.

Taieb Fassi Fihri, visiting the United Arab Emirates on a Gulf tour which took him to oil-kingpin Saudi Arabia, welcomed "the sincere GCC invitation to Morocco to join" the council, WAM said.