AfDB And Morocco Sign 100 Million Euros Loan Agreement to Finance Public Service Reforms

7 July 2010
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African Development Bank (Abidjan)
press release

The Bank Group and Morocco on Tuesday, July 6, 2010, in Tunis signed a €100 million agreement for the financing of the fourth phase of the country's public service reform support project (PARAP IV). The project falls within the framework of the country's public service and governance reforms that began in 2002. The project aims to improve governance and the effectiveness of public services with a view to enhancing human development and providing quality services in line with international standards. The legal documents relating to the agreement were signed for the country by its ambassador to Tunisia, Najib Zérouali Ouariti, while the Bank Group's vice president for country programs and policies, Aloysius Ordu, signed for the Bank.

Speaking during the signing ceremony, Mr. Ordu said that "Morocco is the Bank's model client" with a portfolio of UA 2 billion, or approximately USD 3 billion, comprising 20 projects. Mr. Ordu also focused on the programmatic approach adopted by the government to resolve issues undermining its civil service. Morocco's sectors of intervention are in line with the Bank's medium-term strategy. Morocco has made great strides in the implementation of its public service reform program; a program that has made it possible to significantly improve macroeconomic stability, to have greater visibility in the allocation of public resources and to support administrative decentralization as a vector in the regionalization process, Mr. Ordu said. He expressed satisfaction with the high level of cooperation between the Bank and Morocco as an important client and partner. He pointed out that: "Many projects in Morocco are in line with the Bank's medium-term strategy." He pointed to infrastructure, water and governance projects financed by the Bank Group in the country as testimonies to the institution's commitment to development efforts in the country.

For his part, Mr. Ouariti commended the financing provided by the Bank which, he stressed, would go a long way in helping economic and social development efforts in the country. "The signing of the PARAPA IV agreement falls within the priority framework of government action given that the project will also contribute to efforts to achieve employment and salary harmonization in the public service which is a real development tool." He added that: "My country is pleased that the Bank Group is the leading partner with many major projects. All these reforms prove that our cooperation is excellent," he said.

Since establishing cooperation ties with Morocco in 1967, the Bank Group has financed more than 103 operations in the country, covering many sectors ranging from agriculture to infrastructure. Over recent years, the focus has been on the financing of structural reforms and multi-sectoral programs.

Contacts

Aristide Ahouassou

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