Moroccan premier affirms to FIFA government's entire support to morocco's 2010 bid
Morocco, Local, 10/10/2003

Moroccan premier, Driss Jettou, on Wednesday told the FIFA inspection team the entire Moroccan government is committed to live up to the FIFA requests, bring infallible support to the "Morocco 2010" organizing committee and gather conditions for the first African venue of the finals to honor a whole continent.

The head of the Moroccan government announced during the meeting with the inspection team of the International Football Federation (FIFA) that arrived Tuesday in Morocco for a week-long visit to weigh Morocco's ability to host the 2010 World Cup, the Hassan II fund has deposited 145 million Euros in a Swiss bank for the Moroccan organizing committee. He further explained that Moroccan assets do not only lie in the respect of all its commitments but also in the mobilization of the entire people for the world's largest football encounter to take place in the best conditions. He added that 2010 is also a year for which Morocco has set historic and strategic goals. It is in 2010 that the EU-Morocco free trade agreement will enter into force, with the Kingdom having completely dismantled all customs barriers, opening, therefore, the way for the free movement of goods and capital. In the perspective of this deadline, Morocco has been implementing a broad modernization of its infrastructure, including 600 km of new highways, 14 new railways and the gigantic port platform of Tangier-Mediterranean. In parallel, the prime minister said, Morocco has been undertaking an ambitious program of liberalization, privatization and modernizing its economy, enterprises and financial and banking systems. He also stressed how Morocco has operated a genuine revolution in telecommunication and the new information technologies sectors. Morocco also boasts a long tradition of sports excellence with such famed names in sports, as Larbi Benbark known as the "black pearl," track and field champions Said Aouita, Hicham El Guerrouj, Nawal El Mutawakil and Nezha Bidouane, tennismen Younes El Aynaoui and many more glories in sports. Granting Morocco the honor to host the 2010 world football cup is a dream of a whole nation come true, Jettou further told the four-man FIFA delegation, led by Jan Peeters, head of the Belgian Football Association, that is inspecting medical, transport, telecom and accommodation facilities in Rabat, Tangiers, Agadir, Fez, Meknes, Casablanca, El Jadida and Marrakesh.

The FIFA delegation also heard a report of finance and privatization minister, Fathallalh Oualalou, who briefed them on the state of Moroccan finances and ongoing economic reforms. He said that up to end 2002, the deficit of public finances did not exceed 3% of the GDP while external debt was considerably reduced. Morocco's tourism assets, including its multi-century civilization legacy, breathtaking landscapes and modern accommodation facilities were put forward as additional arguments in favor of the Moroccan bid. Tourism minister also told the delegation about arrangements and steps taken in Morocco to fulfill its objective of attracting 10 million tourists by 2010, to which 90 billion DH (US$ 9 billion) was earmarked. Other arguments presented in favor of the Moroccan candidacy, the fourth one, include the available infrastructure and projected ones that include 12 international airports, a performing air, sea, road and highway network. After their trip to Morocco, Fifa's team will visit fellow contenders South Africa between 29 October and 5 November. Dates for visits to Egypt, Libya and Tunisia, the other bidding nations, are yet to be scheduled by Fifa.

The venue of the 2010 finals, which has been exclusively zoned to Africa, will be announced between April and May 2004.

Previous Stories:
  2010 World Cup Bid: FIFA inspection team arrives in morocco   (10/9/2003)
  L'Opinion: French tourism experts support Moroccan candidacy to host world soccer cup   (9/30/2003)
  Morocco's bid to host World Cup, first class, says consultant   (9/26/2003)

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