Highlights

Morocco and EU: Signature of a Memorandum of Understanding

13/07/2010
Morocco and EU: Signature of a Memorandum of Understanding

Mr. Salaheddine Mezouar, Minister of Economy and Finance, chaired Tuesday, July 13th 2010 at the headquarters of his department, the signing ceremony of the National Indicative Programme (NIP) 2011-2013 between the Kingdom of Morocco and the European Union in the presence of representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation and Mr. Eneko LANDABURU, Ambassador, Head of the European Union Delegation in Rabat. During the ceremony, Mr. Salaheddine MEZOUAR was satisfied with the programming process for the period 2011-2013 and thanked in this regard, the European Commission services for their effective and valuable work during the implementation of Morocco and PUE financial cooperation.

As such, Mr. MEZOUAR stressed that the coordination between different actors in this program resulted in a rich and relevant programming, fully integrated within the priorities of economic and social development of Morocco and the objectives of the European Union cooperation policy.

The Minister recalled that the (NIP) 2011-2013 redraws the outlines of Morocco and the European Union`s financial cooperation to support 10 programs in the social, economic, institutional, good governance support and environmental fields.

Regarding the budget allocated to the (NIP), Mr. Mezouar expressed his satisfaction with the indicative amount of the (NIP) 2011-2013 that increased to 580.5 million euros, with an average annual growth of about 18%, compared to the (NIP) 2007-2010, making Morocco the first receiver of EU aid for the period 2011-2013 in the EU neighbourhood.

Moreover, the Minister stressed the need to discuss with PUE the commitment, in the advanced status, to reach a new level for community access to adequate financial resources in order to support Morocco in its regional policy and PUE cohesion.

The Head of the European Union Delegation in Rabat reported that Morocco`s ambitions for development, modernization and democracy, is in keeping with a dynamic connection with the EU, reflected in the roadmap on the advanced status.


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The EU will support the Kingdom by an appropriate programming that takes into account the priorities identified by mutual agreement with the Moroccan authorities. Mr. Eneko LANDABURU claimed that with the amount allocated, which remains the highest in the neighboring countries, cooperation between the two parties respond to the political ambitions by setting up in the (NIP) 2011-2013, projects related to reforms intended by Morocco: Agriculture, health, gender equality, access to housing and that will be achieved through different types of partnership.

The Ambassador also stated that substantial support is provided in particular to the program entitled "to succeed the advanced status" in order to institutionalize this process to which the Moroccan government will define priority areas for action.

Finally, the two parties welcomed the EU and Morocco relations of cooperation, the satisfactory results achieved in this framework and the efforts of both sides to speed up the setting up of such cooperation.

The (NIP) 2011-2013 provides grants, for a total allocation of 580.5 million euros (over 6.6 billion dirham), spread over the following five components:

  • The "Social Policies Development" component with a budget of 116 million Euros that is 20% of the total. This part includes the prevention of slums program , North integrated rural development program and basic medical coverage support program;
     
  • The "Economic modernization " component with a budget of 58 million Euros that is 10% of the total. This program includes a complementary support for Green Morocco Plan;
     
  • The "Institutional Support" aspect with a budget of 232 million Euros (40% of the total). This component includes the program "to succeed the advanced status" and the modernization of public action program;
     
  • The "Good Governance and Human Rights "component with a budget of 87 million Euros (15% of the total). This part includes the justice reform support program and to promote gender equality program.
     
  • The "Environmental Protection" component with a budget of 87 million Euros (15% of the total) and which includes a program to integrate environmental standards in economic activities and forest policy Support program.