Morocco Allocates 2.35 billion Dirhams to Upgrade Medinas

Morocco allocated 2.35 billion dirhams to upgrade five of its centuries-old towns and help develop handicrafts and revenue generating activities.

At a ceremony chaired by King Mohammed VI in Marrakesh Monday, measures were introduced to develop the medinas (old towns) of Marrakech, Salé, Meknes, Tetouan and Essaouira.

In Marrakech, the project to rehabilitate an old school was launched to offer women a venue to develop and exhibit their handicraft skills as part of measures to promote revenue generating activities.

The rehabilitation program also covers the old towns in Salé and Meknes, although the pace of achieving the set goals has been delayed by challenges notably the damage affecting many ancient buildings due to urban and demographic transformations.

In Meknes in particular, the old town stretches over a surface area of 275 hectares and would require additional funding to be enhanced. In this regards, 800 million dirhams will be dedicated to Meknes while 900 million dirhams will go to Salé.

Remarkable progress was achieved in Essaouira and Tetouan, which shall benefit from two additional projects to further boost their attractiveness and historical value. To that end, the two cities will receive 300 and 350 million dirhams respectively.

During the ceremony, King Mohammed VI chaired over the signing of four agreements related to the rehabilitation and upgrading programs of the old medinas of Sale, Meknes, Tetouan and Essaouira.

Besides the five cities, many other Moroccan towns boast ancient medinas surrounded by fortified walls including Fez, Tangier, Rabat, Oujda, Taza and Taroudant, to mention but a few.

In May last year, the King instructed that Morocco’s imperial cities of Rabat, Casablanca, Fez and Marrakech should get a new revamp with the implementation of a 1.4 billion program aiming at increasing the attractiveness of their centuries-old medinas.