Morocco earmarks $25 million to sports facilities

Morocco will earmark a budget of $25 million to sports facilities, in support to Morocco's bid to host the 2006 soccer World Cup.

The decision was officially announced following a meeting of the Hassan II Fund for Social and Economic Development, chaired by King Mohammed VI. The budget will be levied from receipts of the selling of Morocco's second GSM license which brought to Morocco $1.2 billion.

The king also gave instructions to allocate part of the receipts to low-cost housing, eradication of unhealthy housing, extension of the highway network, completion of a program for the irrigation of one million hectares, promotion of forests and tourism, sports and cultural facilities, in keeping with directives of the late King Hassan II.

Other sectors to receive funds from the 2nd GSM licence selling are: the agency for social development, micro-finance institutions, fishing ports and development of information technologies.

The king also said the private sector should be involved in the government's social efforts.