By Sumaila Ogbaje

The Kingdom of Morocco’s 12 regions and several ministerial departments, have signed four framework agreements to accelerating the implementation of advanced regionalisation and strengthening of cooperation in strategic areas.

The agreements signed during the opening of the ongoing 2nd Advanced Regionalisation Conference on Friday in Tangiers, cover areas including water, mobility, and environmental protection.

According to the organisers of the conference, the first agreement focuses on accelerating the implementation of advanced regionalisation with objectives of establishing an approach to identify mechanisms to complete the strategic project while continuing to fulfill the commitments outlined in the 2019 orientation framework for advanced regionalisation.

It also aims to implement the regions’ exercise of their powers by applying the national framework for administrative decentralisation and expediting the transfer of competencies to decentralised services according to a specified timeline.

Signatories include the Minister of Interior, Abdelouafi Laftit, alongside key ministers such as Nadia Fettah (Economy and Finance), Nizar Baraka (Equipment and Water), Mohamed Berrada (National Education, Preschool, and Sports), Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri (Territorial Development and Urban Planning).

Other signatories are other notable ministers and officials representing various strategic portfolios, as well as the presidents of the 12 Regional Councils of the Kingdom.

The second agreement, signed by the Ministers of the Interior, Equipment and Water, the Minister Delegate for the Budget, Fouzi Lekjaa, and the presidents of the 12 Regional Councils, focused on the territorial implementation of national policies in water management and environmental protection.

The participatory agreement aims to establish a new partnership framework ensuring synergy in addressing water and environmental issues.

The third agreement, endorsed by the Minister of the Interior, the Minister Delegate for the Budget, the Minister of Transport and Logistics, and the presidents of the 12 Regional Councils, pertains to funding the investment programme for the new model of delegated management contracts for urban and intermunicipal public transport by bus.

The documents revealed that with a budget of 11 billion dirhams for the period 2025-2029, the agreement seeks to enhance the availability and quality of urban and intermunicipal transport through a sustainable and financially balanced economic model.

Regular monitoring of these management contracts will also be ensured.

The fourth agreement, signed by the Minister of the Interior, the Minister Delegate for the Budget, the Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, and the presidents of the 12 Regional Councils, addressed the management of household and similar waste for the period 2025-2034.

The objective is to strengthen partnerships between ministerial departments and regional councils to improve waste management and recovery, aligning with sustainable development goals.

The conference with the theme, “Advanced Regionalisation: Facing Today’s and Tomorrow’s Challenges,” was organised by the Ministry of the Interior in partnership with the Moroccan Association of Regions.

It marks a significant step in implementing advanced regionalisation as a structural institutional reform and a strategic choice for consolidating territorial development.

Participants included government officials, regional presidents, municipal councillors, experts, and Moroccan international political and economic stakeholders.

Official information revealed that the conference attracted more than 1,500 attendees on-site, 160 international guests, and more than 45,000 online participants.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the several paper presentations and panel discussions on the theme are being carried out simultaneously in three places within the conference venues. (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Yakubu Uba