Mr. Salaheddine Mezouar, Minister of Economy and Finance, headed the signature of juridical documents with the African Development Bank on Friday, May, 8th, 2009 at the headquarters of the Ministry of Economy and Finance. These documents relate to loans directed to support the national education emergency plan, the 3rd airportuary project, and to a donation to finance the project for artificial resupply of underground groundwater reserves in the Haouz region.
For the 3rd airportuary project, Mr Mezouar, on behalf of the Kingdom of Morocco, and Mr. Matondo-Fundani, Resident Representative of the African Development Bank in Morocco, signed a guarantee agreement of ?240 million relating to the loan granted to the Airports National Office to finance the 3rd airportuary project.
Mr. A. Benallou, Director General of the Airports National Office, and Mr. Matondo-Fundani then proceeded with the signature of the loan agreement.
As part of the N.O.A investment programme for the 2008-2012 period and on the sector level, the project aims to improve the competitiveness of Moroccan air transport to provide better and more efficient services in compliance with international standards and norms, and to better meet the needs of the tourism sector. On a more specific level, the project is also designed to increase airport capacity through upgrading infrastructure, extending the air navigation system and enhancing safety installations on the ground.
With regard to the national education emergency plan support, Mr. Mezouar and Mr. Matondo-Fundani, Resident Representative of the African Development Bank in Morocco, signed the loan agreement of ?75 million. This emergency plan aims to generalise schooling, improve educational standards, and enhance the Moroccan education system`s performance.
The plan will also receive the support of Morocco`s main pledgers, notably the European Investment Bank (?200 million), the World Bank (?80 million), the French Development Agency (?50 million), alongside the African Development Bank (?75 million). These contributions will be supplemented with a neighbourhood investment facility subsidy (?20 million), as well as a Japanese donation to finance technical assistance to design an implementation manual.
Furthermore, Mr Mezouar, Minister of Economy and Finance, and Mr. Matondo-Fundani, Resident Representative of the ADB, signed a ?1.89 million donation agreement, from the African water facility special fund, to finance the project for the artificial resupply of groundwater reserves in the Haouz region. This project aims to improve water resources management and to secure water availability, especially by collecting water from river overflow, often wasted because of a lack of hydraulic installations.
During the ceremony, Mr. Mezouar reaffirmed the significance of cooperation between Morocco and the ADB, an institution which provides continuing support to the economic and social development of Morocco.
Mr. Mezouar further underscored that the signature of the three agreements, designed to enhance the national education system, to upgrade airport capacity and safety around the kingdom`s airports, and to resupply artificially groundwater reserves in the Haouz region, fully complies with the priorities set by the government.
Mr. Mezouar expressed his thanks to the ADB for lending its unrelenting support to the reforms and investment projects Morocco launches.
Mr. Karim Ghellab, Minister of Equipment and Transport, Mr. Ahmed Akhchichine, Minister of National Education, Higher Education, Executive Training and Scientific Research, Mr. Abdelhanine Benallou, Director General of the National Airports Office, and Mr. N.J.S Matondo-Fundani, Resident Representative of the ADB in Morocco, attended the signature ceremony.