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The World Bank has announced a $200 million programme to improve urban mobility in Morocco, particularly in the quality and management of public transport.
The transport programme will focus on cities of over 100,000 inhabitants in nine regions, aiming to strengthen the capacity of local authorities to plan and monitor public transport, centrally and locally.
A central goal is to improve the quality of urban transport services, with a large reduction in travel time. This programme, a Program for Results (PforR), will disburse funds only when milestones agreed upon in advance are completed.
“An efficient urban transport system is essential for urban mobility, which will underpin the development of Moroccan cities,” said Marie Françoise Marie-Nelly, World Bank Maghreb country director.
“Improved public transport systems will mean increased productivity and better access to economic opportunities and key services such as health and education, particularly for the most disadvantaged citizens.”
Morocco estimates the financing for its urban transport sector will reach $3 billion over a decade.
The goal of its national plan is two-fold: to improve the sector’s management and make it financially sustainable; and to build a web of urban transport corridors within larger cities. The Bank will support the government’s plan with expertise and global knowledge.
“This is a timely programme to support the Moroccan government’s public transport agenda. Beyond strengthening institutions and decentralized management more broadly, the project will support the establishment of public transport corridors and improve the efficiency of traffic management with dedicated infrastructure,” said Vickram Cuttaree, senior infrastructure economist and Task Team Leader.
The World Bank has stepped up its engagement in the urban transport sector in Morocco over the past few years. A $136.7 million-Development Policy Loan (DPL) was launched in 2011 to improve the sector’s governance and increase urban transport and infrastructure.
This was coupled with regular technical assistance for the Moroccan government’s transport strategy, along with research to deepen its knowledge of the sector with studies such as the Casablanca Gender and Transport report released in 2011. – TradeArabia News Service
