During this workshop organized as part of the second edition of the National Conference on Advanced Regionalization, placed under the High Patronage of HM King Mohammed VI, the participants, who reviewed examples of investment programs intended for the regions , stressed the importance of allocating the financial resources necessary for the implementation of investment programs.
In this regard, the President of the Council of the Draa-Tafilalet region, Hro Abrou, highlighted the axes of the regional development program of the Drâa-Tafilalet region, noting that the total cost of this program, based on four pillars ( economic, social, spatial, cultural), amounts to 15.9 billion dirhams (billion dirhams), including 5.4 billion dirhams provided by the region.
After emphasizing the natural, economic and cultural assets of the region as well as the various challenges it faces, Mr. Abrou called for an increase in the ceiling of credits allocated to the regions in the general budget, estimated at 10 billion dirhams, as well as the change in distribution criteria, and the activation of solidarity funds between regions.
The president of the Council of the Rabat-Salé-Kénitra region, Rachid El Abdi, also pleaded for an increase in state funding for the regions and the opening of new perspectives in order to enable the regions to find new sources of financing, emphasizing that regions are looking for successful partnerships and the trust of financial institutions.
The regional development program for the Rabat-Salé-Kénitra region for the period 2022-2027 includes five strategic axes, divided into 23 programs and 56 projects, requiring a total investment of 28.9 billion dirhams, including 8 billion dirhams disbursed by the regional council. , he clarified.
On the other hand, the secretary general of the Communal Equipment Fund, Hassan Rahmani, indicated that the contribution of the fund, together with the implementation of the advanced regionalization policy, has seen a change in the volume of loan requests , alongside the increase in the share of regional councils in the loan structure.
Mr. Rahmani added that loans granted to regional councils increased from 1.3 billion dirhams in 2015 to around 12 billion dirhams in 2023, and that the financing of the Fund increased from 1.8 billion dirhams in 2015 to more than 4 billion dirhams in 2023. .
For his part, the Director of the Budget at the Ministry of Economy and Finance, Aziz El Khayati, indicated that public investment was multiplied by five between 2001 and 2025, which allowed a transformation of the national landscape through the development of large infrastructures.
Thanks to institutional reforms and the increase in regional financial resources, regional budgets increased from 6 billion dirhams in 2010-2015 to 50 billion dirhams between 2021 and 2025, he said, adding that these funds enabled regions to contribute to structuring projects aimed at reducing social and territorial disparities, developing infrastructure and strengthening public services.
For his part, Yannis Arvantes, expert at the World Bank, discussed the role played by the Bank in supporting decentralization and deconcentration processes in Morocco with a portfolio of 1.9 billion dirhams spread over five programs.
Mr. Arvantes indicated that the “Moroccan Public Sector Performance” (ENNAJAA) program works to strengthen advanced regionalization by improving budgeting and monitoring of public investments, adding that these efforts aim in particular to promote sustainable and resilient development. , aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals.
The opening session of these Conferences was marked by the Royal Message addressed to the participants, which was read by the Minister of the Interior, Abdelouafi Laftit.
Placed under the theme “Advanced regionalization, between the challenges of today and tomorrow”, this two-day meeting is organized by the Ministry of the Interior in partnership with the Association of Regions of Morocco. It constitutes an important moment in the implementation, in accordance with the High Royal Guidelines, of the advanced regionalization project as a structural institutional reform and strategic choice for the consolidation of the territorial development process.