Mr. Abdellatif LOUDYI, Secretary General of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, and Mr. Peter MOORS, Director General of Cooperation and Development at the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Cooperation to Development, signed two financial agreements afferent to the projects Promotion of Rural Micro-Enterprises in the North of Morocco through Microcredit Support and Vocational Training in the Northern Region of Morocco. The signature ceremony took place in the Ministry`s head office on November 19thn 2008.
Were present in this ceremony his Excellency Mr. Patrick VERCAUTEREN DRUBBEL, the Belgian ambassador in Rabat, representatives from the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training and the Agency for Social Development.
Mr. LOUDYI and Mr. MOORS took this opportunity to note with satisfaction the excellent economic and financial cooperation between Morocco and Belgium and reiterated their determination to consolidate such cooperation.
Mr. LOUDYI extended his thanks to the Belgian government for its financial contribution that backs the microcredit sector and vocational training in the North of Morocco. He underlined that these targeted sectors perfectly match the Moroccan government priorities of social and economic development.
In his turn, Mr. MOORS expressed his satisfaction as to the excellent political and economic relations between Morocco and Belgium and highlighted the friendship ties linking the two kingdoms. He equally emphasized the two countries` determination to consolidate this cooperation, adding We should think about 2010-2013 cooperation programme and target other sectors and other regions.
The project of Promotion of Rural Micro-Enterprises in the North of Morocco through Microcredit Support is a ?2 million donation. It is meant to contribute to job and wealth creation for the economically disadvantaged population residing in the Wilaya of Tetouan. It also targets the promotion of entrepreneurship and its coaching via personalised loan offers.
The Vocational Training in the Northern Region of Morocco project is a 3 million donation and aims to contribute to the fight against poverty and social and economic development in 4 provinces of the North; namely, Tetouan, M`Diq-Fnideq, Chefchaouen and Al Hoceima. The project will allow job opportunities and integration in the job market of young school dropouts of the region.
The two senior executives then discussed the implementation processes of the financial cooperation between Morocco and Belgium and its potential development, in view of preparing for the 18th session of the mixed commission of Moroccan-Belgian cooperation which will take place in 2009.