King Mohammed VI Launches Urban Development Program to Transform Agadir into Attractive, Competitive Economic Hub
Joining word to action, King Mohammed VI supervised Tuesday the launch of an urban development program, meant to transform Agadir into an attractive and competitive economic hub.
The Monarch, who was accompanied by Crown Prince Moulay el Hassan, also presided over the signing of the framework-agreement on the urban development program of the city of Agadir (2020-2024).
The urban development program, Worth 6 billion dirhams, aims at consolidating Agadir’s positioning and strengthening its attractiveness as a national and international tourist destination, improving human development indexes, promoting the living conditions of the population, particularly the inhabitants of under-equipped neighborhoods, strengthening basic infrastructure, and consolidating the city’s road network for a better mobility.
At the beginning of the launch ceremony, Minister of the Interior, Abdelouafi Laftit, presented the general framework of this program developed in accordance with the royal orientations, expressed by the Monarch last November in a speech marking the 44th anniversary of the Green March.
The King had then called for upgrading the basic infrastructure of the Souss-Massa region and its road network, the establishment of a Marrakech-Agadir rail link and the consolidation of the strategic position of the region.
“I invite the authorities concerned to give serious thought to the development of a rail link between Marrakech and Agadir, as a first step before extending it to the rest of the southern regions,” the King had said in his speech, adding that “the Souss-Massa region must become an economic hub linking Morocco’s north to its south – from Tangier, in the north, to Oujda, in the east, to our southern provinces, in the south.”
In his presentation, Laftit highlighted the region’s abundant economic assets, noting that this enormous potential predisposes it to become a real, attractive and competitive economic hub, capable of meeting the challenge of advanced regionalization and consolidating its influence at the national and regional levels.
The minister of the Interior also noted that several structuring projects are being implemented in the region of Souss-Massa, under the regional program for the reduction of territorial and social disparities, the Industrial Acceleration Plan, as well as in the sectors of agriculture, tourism and social and solidarity economy.
The urban development program of the city of Agadir (2020-2024) will be carried out in accordance with the mechanisms of good governance, in order to ensure rigorous and transparent monitoring of the planned projects, by respecting the deadlines and objectives set, Laftit said.
A draft regional development program contract between the State and the Souss-Massa region is being drawn up according to a participatory approach, he said, noting that priority is given to regional development projects that promote sustainable development and diversification, boost economy, and improve the attractiveness of territorial areas.
To ensure the full success of this program and its timely implementation, two local development companies “Agadir Souss Massa Aménagement” and “Grand Agadir de transport et de mobilité urbaine” will oversee the achievement of the various projects planned under the new program.
