Global Arab Network | Besides €147 million agreements - France supports Morocco with €600 million

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Besides €147 million agreements - France supports Morocco with €600 million

- Rabih Serrai

Saturday, 03 July 2010 16:34

Morocco_France_sign_cooperation_agreements

In addition to the agreements totalling 147 million euros between Morocco and France, French Premier François Fillon announced that the French Development Agency (AFD) will raise its 2010-2012 financial aid to 600 million euros to assist Morocco in its development and modernization efforts.

This will boost France's part in financing the High Speed Line project, he said, recalling that, over the 2007-2009 period, the AFD funding benefitting Morocco reached some €460 mln.

On the civil nuclear power cooperation agreement, the French official said it turns on the development of peaceful uses of nuclear energy through cooperation actions in the fields of technology, training and security.

He added that France will support the 500MW-solar power plant project of Ouarzazate.

Abbas El Fassi said Morocco has decided to diversify its energy sources which include renewable, solar and wind energy, but not the nuclear power.

El Fassi voiced satisfaction with the results of the 10th Morocco-France high level meeting and the climate of trust, friendship and mutual respect which marked the meeting.

On Friday, Morocco and France signed, in Paris, eleven cooperation agreements worth 146.8 million Euros, on the occasion of the 10th Moroccan-French high level meeting, held under the co-chairmanship of Moroccan Prime minister Abbas El Fassi and his French counterpart François Fillon.

The agreements concern the sectors of civil nuclear energy, renewable energy, sustainable development, social welfare, fisheries, water and transport.

A draft cooperation agreement to develop the peaceful uses of nuclear energy was inked by Foreign Minister Taib Fassi Fihri and his French counterpart, Bernard Kouchner.

The agreement on cooperation in the field of renewable energy was signed by minister of Energy Amina Benkhadra and her French peer Jean-Louis Borloo.

France also granted Morocco 600,000 Euros to finance studies related to an irrigation project carried out in the province of Chtouka Ait-Baha.

For its part, French Development Agency (AFD) loaned Morocco 35 million Euros and granted it 200,000 Euros to contribute to improving the health care system of the populations in the provinces of Doukkala-Abda, Taza-Al Hoceima-Taounate and Tadla-Azilal.

Regarding the social sector, the two parties sealed an agreement on medical coverage and social Welfare, and a declaration of intent on cooperation and technical assistance in the field of health and work safety.

An agreement to finance a program to upgrade infrastructure and strengthen trade capacity of the National Fisheries Office (ONP) to support the Fisheries Plan was also inked between the two sides.

In the same area, AFD loaned Morocco 27 million euros to fund a multi-year investment program of the ONP.

In addition, Morocco and France signed a contract to operate and maintain Rabat Tramway worth 73 million Euros.

In the field of environment, drinking water local authority of the north-eastern city of Oujda (RADEEO) received a 10-million euro loan to improve the performance of its network. (MAP)

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Last Updated on Saturday, 03 July 2010 20:51

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