Economic efforts will undoubtedly help improve social indicators, PM
Morocco, Politics, 5/24/2005

The government efforts at the economic level will undoubtedly help improve social indicators that rank Morocco in "modest levels" in human development, said Monday Moroccan Prime Minister, Driss Jettou.

"Our social and human indicators have not yet reached the level to which we aspire because of past accumulations," noted Jettou, who was speaking before the House of Representatives (lower chamber).

The Prime Minister cited, in particular, illiteracy rate (nearly 40pc), infantile mortality at birth (40 per 1000), and unschooled children (2 millions).

He also referred to the accumulated deficit in low-cost housing that exceeds 1,200,000 units. Jettou deplored that the third of inhabitants in urban areas live in unhealthy housing.

The Moroccan official said the government has adopted a proximity policy to face social deficit, notably through the increase of allocations to social sectors whose share of the general budget exceed 51pc.

He added that the government is committed to accelerating the rhythm of low-cost housing production to reach 100,000 units a year.

"Free-slum city" program, he said, concerns 70 cities and 212,000 families with a funding of MAD 17.1 billion (around USD 2.01 billion) to eradicate unhealthy housing by 2010.

On education, Jettou said the government pursues the implementation of the goals of the national charter for education and training that aims to generalize schooling, modernize programs, methods and school books, and develop pedagogical means.

To this end, he said, "annual allocations to the national education sector were raised to MAD 31.5 billion (around USD 3.70 billion) in 2004."

As for health coverage, Jettou said it only benefits 5 millions of the Moroccan population that is estimated at around 29.9 millions.

The Prime Minister said the implementation of the Compulsory Health Insurance will help increase the number of beneficiaries of health coverage from 5 to 10.2 millions in the public and private sectors.

He added that efforts have been deployed to increase the budget of the Health Ministry by 10pc a year since 2002.

On illiteracy programs, Jettou said beneficiaries increased from 200,000 to 450,000 in 2003-2004. The aim, he went on, is to eradicate illiteracy by 2015.

According to the Prime Minister, the Government is also paying a particular attention to sports through the construction of complexes and upgrading sports infrastructures.

Several programs for the youth have been adopted by the government such as "holidays for all," "Sports for all," and "Book time," he said.

The government, Jettou pointed out, is working on a new plan to reduce unemployment rate of young graduates.

Concerning culture, he pointed out, a budget of MAD 109 millions (around USD 12.8 millions) was allocated in 2003-2004 to upgrade the cultural sector in the country.

Jettou deemed that Morocco has made important strides in reinforcing democracy, expanding rights and freedoms, upgrading economy and tackling social disparities despite the deep mutations generated by the current international juncture.

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