The Governor of the Guelmim-Oued Noun region, Mohamed Najem Abhay, inaugurated several socio-economic development projects costing approximately 416.5 million MAD on Wednesday in Guelmim, in southern Morocco, in commemoration of the 49th anniversary of Morocco’s Green March.
Accompanied by the Regional Council Head, Mbarka Bouaida, the governor launched the Lalla Amina Center for the Protection of Vulnerable Children, which is part of the Moroccan League for Child Protection.
The project will help provide care to children in difficult situations and improve the center’s social services. With a budget of over 11 million MAD—7.7 million from the National Initiative for Human Development (INDH) and 3.2 million from the Moroccan League for Child Protection—the center includes various facilities, such as units for children and infants, social and medical services, meeting and dining rooms, a kitchen, administrative offices, and sanitary facilities.
Governor Abhay also awarded a total of 697,000 MAD to eight young entrepreneurs as part of a regional initiative for employment and entrepreneurship that involves a partnership between the regional government, the Guelmim National Agency for Employment and Skills Promotion, and the Moubadara Guelmim-Oued Noun Association.
Abhay also launched the construction of the Princess Lalla Meryem Social Development Complex. The 25.2 million MAD project, spanning 1,437 square meters, will provide access to social and legal services, legal counseling, psychological support, and capacity-building for women.
The officials reviewed an urban renewal project for Guelmim and Bouizakarne, with a budget of approximately 320.6 million MAD. The Guelmim plan includes eight projects (totaling 220.59 million MAD) for urban improvement and infrastructure enhancement, while the Bouizakarne plan consists of ten projects (100 million dirhams) for urban rehabilitation and infrastructure strengthening.
The officials also examined a project to upgrade Guelmim’s streets and avenues, with a budget of 45 million MAD. The project includes road construction, public lighting, sidewalk repair, and electrical network improvements.
The officials discussed another project to build two air quality monitoring stations (2.4 million dirhams), along with an expansion plan for the Guelmim municipal building, budgeted at over 11.6 million MAD.
President Bouaida highlighted the importance of these projects costing more than 400 million MAD, noting that more than 300 million MAD is dedicated to upgrading underserved neighborhoods and strengthening essential infrastructure in Guelmim province.
Ibrahim Yassine, the central coordinator for the Moroccan League for Child Protection, told Morocco’s News Agency, “the center’s opening came after restoration work to increase its capacity to serve children in need.” The new facility is now equipped with modern resources to meet the needs of children at risk in the region. It will provide housing, nutrition, social support, and academic assistance to improve the lives of vulnerable children, he said.