Morocco, Korea Cooperate to Improve Maternal and Child Health

Rabat – Morocco’s Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) in Morocco have teamed up to launch a project aimed at strengthening the capacity of health professionals in maternal health and newborn care in the region of Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima.

The newly launched project aims to further strengthen Morocco-Korea cooperation in the medical industry.

The project also testifies to Morocco’s commitments to achieve the 2030 agenda of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within the framework of the Moroccan government’s 2021-2026 agenda focused on social inclusion.

With an eye on consolidating maternal and child health as a priority during a period of five years (2021-2025), KOICA noted in a statement that the project aims to reduce mortality and morbidity by improving the quality of healthcare in Morocco.

Abdelkrim Meziane Belfkih, Secretary General of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, reiterated the expertise of KOICA in Morocco and highlighted the agency’s constant technical and financial support to health-related programs in the country.

“The project is based on a global and innovative approach to develop services for maternal and newborn healthcare,” Belfkih said during the inauguration ceremony of the Morocco-Korea project.

He also spoke at length of Morocco and Korea’s commitment to work together to strengthen their decades-long cooperation and cordial relations.

Meanwhile, Korean Ambassador to Morocco Keeyong Chung welcomed the 60 years of the long-standing relations between the two countries, emphasizing that “the project’s goal is to protect Moroccan mothers and newborns from any health crisis.”

Ambassador Chung noted, “[the 5-year program] will help create hope and bring peace and prosperity to Morocco, thanks to the harmony between Korea’s experience in healthcare and Morocco’s human resources.”

Also attending the ceremony were KOICA’s representative in Morocco Yongwoo Jeong and several Korean experts and representatives from the Moroccan health ministry.

The project adds to positive developments in Korean-Moroccan relations as the two countries are celebrating 60 years of bilateral ties, marking a milestone in their diplomatic relations.

Having organized several joint events in recent months to showcase the strength of their six decades-long partnership, Morocco and Korea have notably pledged to further boost cooperation in a broad range of fields, including the medical sector, technological innovation, the media industry, and the fight against the climate crisis.