USAID to launch $30 million program to assist Morocco

The US Agency for International Development (USAID) announced Wednesday the launching of a five-year US $30 million (300 million Dhs) program to assist Morocco particularly in the economic realm.

The program "will help implement the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) currently under negotiation with the USA, improve the general investment climate and develop small and medium enterprises" which will "translate into more jobs for Moroccans," USAID's assistant administrator for Asia and the Near East, Ambassador Wendy Chamberlin, who is currently on a visit to Morocco, told a press conference in Rabat.

According to the US official, USAID also plans to help address illiteracy and basic education needs in Morocco, through "a program to support job skills training and create public and private partnerships that will link skills training to job placement."

She also recalled the US government's intention to more than quadruple the non-military assistance to Morocco as announced during the visit to Morocco of US assistant secretary of state, William Burns. The monies will help strengthen Morocco's efforts to "open up greater economic, educational and political opportunities for all Moroccans," she said.

Chamberlin said talks she held on Tuesday talks with Prime Minister, Driss Jettou, and several Moroccan officials were "fruitful" and allowed to "explore where the US government might best target additional resources in the coming years."

Job creation, housing credits, rural development and educational improvements are the major concerns of Moroccans, she pointed out, underlining that these concerns will be taken into account to meet the aspirations of the Moroccan people.