Morocco and France signed two agreements worth 150 million euros in Rabat on Wednesday to support the Generalization of Mandatory Health Insurance and the Government’s Gender Equality Plan 2023-2026 program.
Morocco’s Minister Delegate to the Minister of Economy and Finance responsible for the Budget, Fouzi Lekjaa; France’s Ambassador to Morocco Christophe Lecourtier, and the Director of the French Development Agency (AFD) in Morocco, Quiterie Pincent inked the accords.
The first agreement, worth 100 million euros, will continue to help AFD’s support for Morocco’s royal initiative to establish universal social protection. It is intended to improve governance, enhance the efficiency of the Mandatory Health Insurance (AMO) scheme, promote equity – particularly gender issues – and control AMO expenditure.
The €50 million second agreement addresses gender inequalities in all forms. It involves adopting and extending Gender-Sensitive Budgeting (GSB) and supporting the economic empowerment of women, particularly through measures related to the care economy in Morocco’s Government Gender Equality Plan III for the period 2023-2026.
During the signing ceremony, Lekjaa highlighted that these agreements are part of a “positive momentum,” building on the recent state visit of France’s President Emmanuel Macron to Morocco, and the signing of major agreements, underscoring the deep historical ties between the two countries.
Lecourtier welcomed the strong and historic partnership between Morocco and France, noting their “unwavering solidarity” in addressing shared challenges. He pointed out that the visit of Macron was a “cornerstone of bilateral relations,” strengthening ongoing and fruitful cooperation.
Following the signing ceremony, attended by Hassan Boubrik, Director General of the National Social Security Fund (CNSS), both Lekjaa and Lecourtier expressed satisfaction with the level and quality of cooperation between Morocco and the AFD, reaffirming their commitment to further strengthen these ties.