Morocco, World Bank Sign Agreement to Strengthen Human Capital

A woman walks past shops in the ancient Moroccan city of Fez on June 8, 2022. (AFP)
A woman walks past shops in the ancient Moroccan city of Fez on June 8, 2022. (AFP)
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Morocco, World Bank Sign Agreement to Strengthen Human Capital

A woman walks past shops in the ancient Moroccan city of Fez on June 8, 2022. (AFP)
A woman walks past shops in the ancient Moroccan city of Fez on June 8, 2022. (AFP)

The World Bank approved last week $500 million to help strengthen human capital and resilience in Morocco.

Minister Delegate in charge of the Budget Fouzi Lekjaa and World Bank Director of Operations for the Maghreb and Malta Jesko Hentschel signed the agreement on Monday, which represents the first tranche of the approved loan.

This budget support program seeks improvements in the protection against health risks, human capital losses during childhood, poverty in old age, and climate change risks, the bank stated.

Lekjaa said in press statements on this occasion that the agreement will enable the kingdom to undertake reforms launched by King Mohammed VI.

He said that the bank’s support indicates that this large and credible reform gives legitimacy to government action to make this challenge a success by 2025 and ensure providing the conditions of a dignified life for all Moroccans.

Hentschel, for his part, stressed that the bank considers the reform of social protection in the Kingdom “very innovative, ambitious and integrated.”

The proposed financing is based on three pillars, the first of which includes measures to bolster physical and human resources to improve health services for all beneficiaries, enroll up to 11 million self-employed workers and their dependents and integrate up to 11 million people currently enrolled in Medical Assistance Scheme into the compulsory health insurance.

The second pillar includes measures to implement the family allowance program and expand coverage of pension plans.

It provides for adopting decrees and other legislation to ensure proper governance, identification and targeting of health and social protection reforms.

The third pillar focuses on improving resilience to natural disasters and climate risks, including strengthening institutional and coordination framework for disaster and climate risk management, establishing coordination committees of key stakeholders, and improving risk transfer mechanisms such as agricultural insurance.



China Seeks to Bolster Ports and Aviation Hubs in Western Regions

The city skyline is reflected in a pool left on the dry riverbed of the receding Jialing river, a tributary of the Yangtze, that is approaching record-low water levels during a regional drought in Chongqing, China, August 20, 2022.  (Reuters)
The city skyline is reflected in a pool left on the dry riverbed of the receding Jialing river, a tributary of the Yangtze, that is approaching record-low water levels during a regional drought in Chongqing, China, August 20, 2022. (Reuters)
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China Seeks to Bolster Ports and Aviation Hubs in Western Regions

The city skyline is reflected in a pool left on the dry riverbed of the receding Jialing river, a tributary of the Yangtze, that is approaching record-low water levels during a regional drought in Chongqing, China, August 20, 2022.  (Reuters)
The city skyline is reflected in a pool left on the dry riverbed of the receding Jialing river, a tributary of the Yangtze, that is approaching record-low water levels during a regional drought in Chongqing, China, August 20, 2022. (Reuters)

China said on Sunday it would launch 15 measures to bolster the development of its western provinces with the construction of logistical infrastructure such as ports and aviation hubs.

The General Administration of Customs said the measures would enhance the integration of rail, air, river and sea links in China's west, state media reported.

The measures are to include enhancing international aviation hubs in cities including Chengdu, Chongqing, Kunming, Xi'an and Urumqi, while developing comprehensive bonded zones, and integrating these with ports and other transport links.

A number of ports would also be built and expanded.

China has long sought to bolster the economic heft of its western regions, which have markedly lagged coastal provinces.

China's western regions comprise around two-thirds of the country's land area and include regions such as Sichuan, Chongqing, Yunnan, Xinjiang and Tibet.

China's Politburo last year called for a "new urbanization" of western China to revitalize rural areas, expand poverty alleviation efforts and strengthen energy resources. Efforts have also been made to increase linkages to Europe and South Asia through trade corridors including rail freight routes.