The Laâyoune-Sakia El Hamra region was officially declared a “slum-free region” on Tuesday in Es-Semara. The declaration was made by Samir Belfkih, minister of national territorial planning, urban planning, housing and urban policy, and Fatima Saadi, the minister delegate for housing and urban policy.
The declaration of Es-Semara as a slum-free city is the result of a program to eliminate substandard housing that benefited 4,357 families from the El Rbib and El Gouiz neighborhoods. Of these, 2,453 received houses and 1,904 received serviced plots of land. The program led to the demolition of 3,724 shacks and drew a ministry financial contribution of close to MAD 687 million.
Belfkih welcomed the fact that Es-Semara now stands alongside Laâyoune and Boujdour in this effort. He said the regional declaration shows the value of concerted action to improve living conditions, promote development and strengthen social inclusion in the southern provinces.
He linked the projects to Royal guidance on territorial justice and on development that benefits all citizens.
During the visit, the two ministers reviewed progress on a project to upgrade under-equipped neighborhoods in the city. The project has a total budget of MAD 84.86 million, of which MAD 64.86 million is financed by the ministry, and covers roads, pavements, green spaces and public squares. They also visited the redevelopment site of Boulevard Hassan II.
The officials also toured the Es-Semara institute for training specialized technicians in architecture and urban planning.
