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Global Arab Network – Moroccan Minister of Energy, Mines, Water and Environment, held a working meeting with the President of the World Bank (WB), Robert Zoellick, on means to promote co-operation in the field of energy.
Amina Benkhdra told MAP that the meeting is part of regular meetings between Morocco and the World Bank to enhance cooperation, especially in the area of renewable energies.
She added that the World Bank has been supporting Morocco’s efforts to promote clean energies, and has substantially financed projects implemented in this field, such as the solar station of Beni M’thar.
The Minister also highlighted the Bank’s significant contribution to human development projects launched in the Kingdom, notably the National Initiative for Human Development, as well as other reforms under way in the country.
Zoellick, who arrived in Morocco on Wednesday, met with governmental officials and civil society stakeholders and took part on Thursday in the second conference on industry, which was presided over by HM King Mohammed VI.
President of the World Bank Group (WB) Robert Zoellick voiced the WB’s willing to support the reforms process in Morocco.
“The World Bank looks forward to working in partnership with the government to support reforms process, growth and development that benefit all,” Zoellick said following his visit to Morocco.
According to a statement from the WB office in Rabat, the WB’s president, who met with Moroccan senior officials and members of civil society, said that Morocco achieved good economic results.
He also said that the WB has intensely worked to finalize the preparation of the solar power plant of Ouarzazate, to be the largest of its kind in Africa.
He added that Morocco’s solar energy is a wining solution as it enables to produce green energy, promote an innovative sector in North Africa and stimulate employment.
Morocco and North Africa are an extraordinary platform for providing solar electricity to Europe, said the statement.
Zoellick noted that the development of these untapped green resources requires close collaboration with Europe’s institutions and states.
He recalled that the WB has supported since 2005 Morocco’s large-scale anti-poverty programme the National Initiative for Human Development, which has funded over 22,000 projects, with an over 1.8 billion dollars budget appropriation for five million beneficiaries.
The WB provides an annual grant of about $ 700 million to Morocco.
It focuses its efforts notably on health, the fight against poverty, climate change, solar energy, and Morocco’s Green Plan. (MAP)
