King Mohammed starts tour from Casablanca

King Mohammed VI, accompanied by Prince Moulay Rachid, arrived here Monday on a two-day visit to Casablanca, first leg of 10-day tour to several Moroccan northern and eastern provinces.

The king inaugurated the Mohammed VI Boulevard and visited the construction site of the city convention and exhibition center. He also toured facilities in the disabled reeducation center of Bouskoura which boast state of the art equipment and technology to take care of specific health needs as well as help train the handicapped for easy social reinsertion.

Part of Morocco's bid to host 2006 World Cup, King Mohammed VI launched construction works of the Casablanca Grand Stadium to give the city a second 80,000 seat soccer field meeting all FIFA norms.

Late in the afternoon, the royal party headed for the city outskirts, where King Mohammed VI launched the building of a 27 km highway stretch to help divert some of the traffic and alleviate pollution and congestion inside the city. This ring-road includes four cloverleaf junctions and several district exits.