Highlights

Mr. Driss EL AZAMI EL IDRISSI, Minister Delegate to the Minister of Economy and Finance, in charge for the Budget participated in the 24th Annual Meeting of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) held May 13th , 14th and 15th 2015, in Tbilisi, Georgia.

Speaking before the Board of Governors of the EBRD, the Minister welcomed the reform of the Bank’s programming process, which takes into account the political, economic and social development of countries of operations, and which directed efforts to programs and projects of energy efficiency and renewable energy, and support to SMEs, private initiative and innovation.

He also welcomes the strengthening of the EBRD's activities in the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean Region (SEMED) and the substantial increase of the Bank's investment in the region that reached more than 2 billion euros since 2012, with a budget of EUR 400 million for Morocco.

Mr. ELAZAMI ELIDRISSI met, also with Mr. Philip BENETT, First Vice President of the EBRD and held bilateral meetings respectively with Heads of American, Canadian, Jordanian and Tunisian Delegations. In his meeting with the First Vice President of the EBRD, the two sides welcomed the signing in November 2014 of the host country agreement between Morocco and the Bank and the inauguration in April 2015, of its Office in Casablanca, and the positive results of cooperation, since Morocco is admitted as a beneficiary country since 2012.

Similarly, the Minister Delegate for the budget welcomed the approval in February 2015 by the Board of Directors of the EBRD of the Morocco-EBRD cooperation strategy, the axes are in line with the Government's priorities, in particular on the support for improving the business climate and the competitiveness of the private sector, the strengthening of regional inclusion and the development of public services and infrastructures.

In his meeting with Mr. Eric Meyer, Deputy Secretary for the Middle East and Africa US Treasury, both officials welcomed the privileged and strategic relations between Morocco and the United States of America and the launch of the new cooperation program with USAID under the 2014-2018 period and the progress of the preparatory works of the cooperation programs under the Millennium Challenge Corporation.

During his meetings, the Delegate Minister for the budget, similarly, highlighted our country’s progress in the implementation of economic and financial reforms to enhance growth, reduce social and spatial disparities and consolidate the macroeconomic framework of our country.

On this occasion, he highlighted the positive results in terms of growth and social inclusion, improving the business climate, the control of budget deficits and the current account of the balance of payments, thanks to the dynamics of reform and progress in our country.