Morocco, French Development Agency sign deals to boost social reforms

RABAT – Morocco and the French Development Agency (AFD) signed Tuesday two major agreements worth 150 million euros which are aimed at the generalization of compulsory health insurance (AMO) and the promotion of equality between women and men in the North African Kingdom.

These social reform programs, which are valued at 100 million euros and 50 million euros respectively in loans, symbolize a new impetus in the exceptional partnership between France and Morocco, which was strengthened during the recent visit of French President Emmanuel macron to Rabat, announced the AFD in a statement.

The new funding will have a significant impact on expanding health coverage and gender equality measures in Morocco, said the AFD.

The first program with a loan of 100 million euros supports the implementation of social protection reforms initiated by King Muhammad VI with an objective of extending the number of AMO beneficiaries from 27 million in 2023 to 30 million in 2027.

The funding will help strengthen AMO governance, improve access to care for vulnerable populations including women and domestic workers and control health spending.

The second program is intended to support gender equality policies.

The AFD said that the 50 million-euro loan capitalizes on the solid anchoring of Gender Sensitive Budgeting, which includes experiments at the level of local authorities and measures for the economic empowerment of women in particular through the development of a care economy and the recognition of social work professions.