King Mohammed VI launches Mediterranean by-pass grounding works, youths compounds construction

Morocco's Kig Mohammed VI, accompanied by King Hamad Ben Aissa Al Khalifa of Bahrain, launched here Saturday grounding works of a 103 km section of the Mediterranean by-pass, linking El Jebha and Ajdir, which will take 56 will take around 4 years and a half.

The Mediterranean by-pass will link northern Tangiers to north-eastern Saidia (near Oujda), via 7 ports, 9 fisheries hubs and 54 tourism resorts.

The road, to cost 1.3 billion Dirhams (around US$ 130 million), is financed by the European Commission, in the framework of the program MEDA I-Morocco.

The project will open up several rural areas, difficultly accessible before, and create thousands of jobs. It will cross main cities of Tetouan, Chefchaouen, Al-Hoceima, Nador and Berkane, in addition to 40 local communes.

King Hamad Ben Aissa Al Khalifa, who earlier had tete-a-tete talks with king Mohammed VI, winded up his private visit to Morocco following the dedication ceremony.