These agreements concern the financing of the transformation support program for a digital, entrepreneurial and inclusive Moroccan university (€120 million, or approximately 1.28 billion dirhams), the results-based program for improving territorial competitiveness in Morocco (€200.31 million, approximately 2.143 billion dirhams), the support program for the inclusive and sustainable development of forest areas (€84 million, or nearly 898 million dirhams) and the Guercif – Nador motorway project (€200 million, approximately 2.14 billion dirhams).
The signing ceremony of these agreements took place in the presence of the Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Innovation, Abdellatif Miraoui, the Minister of Equipment and Water, Nizar Baraka, the Minister of Industry and Trade, Ryad Mezzour, the Minister Delegate to the Head of Government, in charge of Investment, Convergence and Evaluation of Public Policies, Mohcine Jazouli and the Director General of the National Agency for Water and Forests (ANEF), Abderrahim Houmy.
On this occasion, Mr. Lekjaa stressed the importance of these financing agreements which follow a participatory and integrated approach, encompassing training, financing of industrial projects and promising employment prospects, infrastructure and their strengthening, as well as projects related to the forestry sector and the exploitation of its capacities to preserve environmental balances.
In addition, the Minister welcomed the level and quality of relations between Morocco and the AfDB, emphasizing the Bank’s support to the Kingdom in the framework of the implementation of essential structural reforms and technical assistance in different areas.
For his part, Mr. Tarsim indicated that these structuring and complementary projects reflect the excellent relationship that binds the AfDB with its first partner in Africa, Morocco.
These agreements, he continued, concern a project linked to the transformation of the Moroccan university so that it can be more entrepreneurial, more digital and more inclusive, as well as a project relating to the strengthening of the competitiveness of Moroccan territories to attract more investors and create new economic opportunities.
For Mr. Tarsim, the third project completes this offer with better connectivity to link the new Nador West Med port to the Moroccan motorway network, so that investors who set up there can benefit from this complementary offer and increase their competitiveness.
As for the 4th project, it will notably strengthen forestry value chains, introduce entrepreneurship in these areas and strengthen capacity in terms of carbon sequestration.
The objective of the transformation support program for a digital, entrepreneurial and inclusive Moroccan university is to contribute to improving the quality of human capital and empowering young people, through inclusive access to higher education of excellence, innovative and in synergy with the territorial ecosystem.
The results-based program for improving territorial competitiveness in Morocco aims to contribute to improving territorial competitiveness in order to attract investors, create jobs and improve socio-economic inclusion.
For the program to support the inclusive and sustainable development of forest areas, it aims to contribute to the development of key forestry sectors, organize inter-professional organizations, promote women’s and youth forestry and aquaculture entrepreneurship, in addition to developing Ecotourism, promoting public-private partnerships (PPP) and South-South cooperation and supporting the digital transformation of the forestry sector.
As for the Guercif – Nador motorway project, it concerns the contribution to the strengthening of the transport infrastructure of the eastern region and the promotion of the economy of this region by ensuring a service with a high-capacity road link that fits into the national motorway network. Thus, the port complex of Nador West Med and the associated activity zone will be served by this motorway project which will significantly improve the profitability of said port complex and facilitate its operation.
2024-09-11 07:48:16