Morocco, France seal a dozen agreements; AFD extends €150 Million loan for Youth Economic Integration

The 14th France-Morocco high level meeting held in Paris Thursday was marked by the signing of a dozen agreements intended to give a new dynamic to the partnership between the two countries.

The agreements, signed at a ceremony chaired by French Prime Minister, Edouard Philippe, and the Head of the Moroccan Government, Saâd Eddine El Otmani, cover the sectors of economy, social issues, culture, town planning, protection of industrial property, education and devolution.

In addition to these agreements and conventions, the French Development Agency (AFD) has extended Morocco a €150 million loan destined to support a four-year program on the implementation of the employment policy for the economic integration of young people in three pilot regions, Sous-Massa; Rabat-Salé-Kénitra; and Tanger-Tétouan-Al Hoceima.

The program aims to improve young people’s access to employment and to stimulate entrepreneurship in these regions, through the mobilization of all the levers of professional integration, improvement of youths’ employability, promotion of intermediation and entrepreneurship services, and backing the convergence of public policies at the territorial level.

AFD also announced an additional €9 million grant to support the Moroccan migration policy in two regions, namely the Souss-Massa region and the Eastern regions.

On the eve of this 14th High Level Meeting, the Mayors of Paris and Rabat, Anne Hidalgo and Mohamed Sadiki, signed a friendship and cooperation agreement meant to strengthen the historic and privileged ties between the two capitals.