La AFD conmemora su 30º aniversario trabajando en Marruecos
The French Development Agency (AFD) is celebrating 30 years working in Morocco. The French institution held a meeting in Morocco to commemorate all the work it has carried out over the years in partnership with the Kingdom. Mihoun Mezouaghi, director of the AFD in Morocco, highlighted the organisation's work to support the nation's projects. He was also in charge of presenting the review of all the activities that have been carried out in 2021.
The director pointed out to the press that the agency has raised €610 million in 2021 alone, a historic level never before achieved. This positions it as one of the key organisations to work on and reform specific points within the Kingdom. According to him, during this last season, the Agency has strongly supported the reform of social protection to reduce the existing inequality in the population to access the health system, as well as an improvement in the AMO - Compulsory Medical Insurance - in which thanks to this institution 22 million people have started to be part of this service.
The Agency has also been involved in new projects, supporting a new mechanism for improving the state in the Moroccan administration with the Startups system. It also participated in supporting the National Museum Foundation of Morocco (FNM), where it has been involved in a programme that aims to train and provide experiences among professionals working in culture or the development of "Basketball Experience", as part of the educational programme to bring young people closer to sport.
During 2021, the institution's activity has been key for the Kingdom. Mezouaghi highlights that thanks to its funding, 31,000 young people, including 14,000 girls, have been able to access schooling. He also highlights the fact that 95% of the young people who have been trained in the institutes in Delegated Management have been integrated into the world of work. On the other hand, it has always been present in the development of sustainable projects in favour of the environment, which is why it is emphasised that thanks to it more than one million tonnes of carbon emissions have been saved, as well as the permission for 240,000 people to have access to a sustainable sanitation service. It has also been the main supporter of the launch of a train running between Rabat and Casablanca.
At the ceremony, Mezouaghi added that plans for the future are already under development and promise to be innovative. The first, already underway, is a new strategic cycle for the period 2022-2026 that will support the Moroccan government's plan with its New Development Model (NMD). The Agency aims to establish, through private investment and entrepreneurship, the inclusion of young people and women in society, as well as a decarbonisation of the economy in a green sense.
"It also supports the national strategy "Forests of Morocco 2020-2030", which aims to preserve and strengthen the ecosystem services of forests and national parks, while developing local employment," the director added.
The AFD has been operating in Morocco since 1992, when it opened its first office in Rabat. The institution deploys all the tools at its disposal to implement projects. To date, it has provided €7.6 billion to support the Kingdom's reforms with new initiatives in all sectors of the economy.
In 2017 and 2021, the Agency has been a key contributor, providing €2.2 billion in a bid to make the transition greener and less carbon-intensive. Since 2010, it has financed more than 150 projects that have benefited citizens in access to clean water, sanitation and energy, gender equality, as well as reforms in social sectors such as agriculture and transport