Hillary Clinton hails Morocco's efforts in rural girls' schooling
Morocco-USA, Education, 4/1/1999

US First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton has praised the efforts made by Morocco in rural girls' schooling and affirmed that education remains for the time being the best investment for a country.

In a keynote address she made Wednesday in Marrakesh (southern Morocco) at a conference tagged "Education and the Private sector, a requirement for development," the U.S. first lady called for the adoption of a different approach in education and underlined the role the private sector can play in the development of this field.

She paid homage on the occasion to the vanguard decision made by the late King Mohammed V when he enrolled Princess Lalla Aicha in school, inciting the population to follow suit.

Mrs. Clinton said further that her visit to several Moroccan villages allowed her to see the high hopes fuelling the young Moroccan girl pupils and called for the development of the educational system, especially in this era of globalization.

The U.S. first lady underlined the positive impact that rural girls' schooling has on their health and family income and praised the spirit of solidarity uniting the Moroccan people.

She also invited Moroccan private sector to contribute to the development of the educational sector in the Kingdom and hailed in this regard the actions made by the Moroccan "Wafa Bank Foundation" which pledged to built schools in the rural zones.

In another meeting held earlier in Marrakesh on "Tolerance and Religion," the U.S. first lady paid homage to Morocco's religious tolerance and expressed thanks to King Hassan II "for being such a strong voice on behalf of expanding political participation, ensuring peace in the Middle East and throughout the world, and promoting tolerance for us all."

She added that she came to Morocco "to underscore our mutual commitment to work together for a peaceful, prosperous future for our people."

Meanwhile, King Hassan II received Wednesday at the Royal Palace in Marrakesh (southern Morocco) US First Lady Hillary Clinton who is in Morocco on a several-day private visit.

During the same day, the U.S. first lady, accompanied by her daughter Chelsea, attended a function offered in her honor by Crown Prince Sidi Mohammed in the presence of Prince Moulay Rachid, the King's daughters, Princesses Lalla Meriem, Lalla Asmae, Lalla Hasnae and the king's nephew Prince Moulay Ismail.

Mrs. Clinton started Saturday her Moroccan trip, part of a North African tour that led her to Egypt and Tunisia, at a desert encampment where she was feted with an "Arabian Night" soiree in the Tafilalt region, cradle of the Alawite dynasty.

Previous Stories:
  US first lady and Moroccan princess speak out for tolerance   (3/31/1999)
  Mrs. Clinton hails Morocco's local community development efforts   (3/30/1999)
  Education in population issues should first target rural girls, minister   (3/18/1999)
  Illiteracy rate lowered in Morocco   (3/17/1999)

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