Morocco sees investment as key to development

Morocco said Tuesday it is determined to boost its economy through spurring investments and launching large-scale development projects. The government has devised a special program to generate jobs, promote transportation, spur investments and improve the population's living conditions, Equipment and Transport Minister, Karim Ghellab, told the upper chamber of the Moroccan parliament.

The official spoke of an investment of 32 billion dirhams (nearly US$ 3.2 billion) for development programs and another 20 billion dirhams (US$ two billion) to improve rural population's living conditions.

The projects cover the construction of motorways, a large port complex near the northern city of Tangier, sports complexes in Tangiers, Agadir and Marrakesh and a new railway in northern Morocco, he said. Ghellab announced that the government will liberalize this year the ports sector.