World Bank loans Morocco 3.7 bln USD in 2014-2017

RABAT, March 5 (Xinhua) -- The World Bank granted Morocco a total of 3.7 billion U.S. dollars in loans between 2014 and 2017, World Bank's Country Director for the Maghreb, Marie Francoise Marie-Nelly, revealed on Monday in the Moroccan financial capital of Casablanca.

Speaking during a meeting with the press to present the results of the strategic partnership between the two parties for the 2014-2017 period, and the new phase of cooperation (2018-2023), Marie-Nelly said partnership between Morocco and is "very solid" and "is consolidated further over the years."

She noted that bilateral cooperation has led to "very good results" and helped the Moroccan government in the implementation of many important projects to achieve sustainable development.

"Morocco has made significant efforts in a number of areas thanks to the World Bank's support for various sectors of economic and social activity, including agriculture, health, solar energy, drinking water supply," Marie-Nelly said.

"In the next five years (2018-2023), we are planning to tackle three main issues, namely employment, human resources (education and social protection) and territorial development," she said, stressing the need to give more attention to Morocco's remote rural areas to promote their development.

Marie-Nelly also called for a "better involvement" of governance in various areas of activity, she noted , adding that the partnership between the two parties "aims to strengthen institutional arrangements, efficient management of budgetary resources and citizen participation." Enditem