King Mohammed winds ten-day tour in northern provinces

King Mohammed VI, accompanied by Prince Moulay Rachid, arrived in Rabat on Wednesday night winding up a ten day tour to several northern and eastern provinces.

The cities visited were Casablanca, Mohammedia, Kenitra, Larache, Tangier, Tetuan, Chefchaouen, Al Hoceima, Nador, Berkane, Oujda, Taourirt, Taza, Fez, Meknes and Khemisset.

The last day of the royal tour, the sovereign visited the Mausoleum of Moulay Idriss Al Azhar, the founder 12 centuries ago of Fez and opened the city's new medical and pharmacy school of the Mohammed Ben Abdallah University.

He also visited the 65% completed Fez sports complex, including football facilities up to FIFA standards, one more asset for Morocco's candidacy to hostthe World Cup final rounds in the year 2006.

King Mohammed VI later entered Meknes where he prayed at the My Ismael Mausoleum and renamed the avenue "Matahine" after Moulay Al Hassan Ben Idriss, before heading for Khemisset, the final leg of the tour.

Everywhere, the king was welcomed in triumph by inhabitants who stayed hours awaiting his arrival to let him know their joy and affection and how much they backed all the moves he has made. In every stop, he had inaugurated, or was briefed, on projects meant to promote economic and social development and improve living standards of the populations.