Rabat – Morocco and Japan signed on Friday a loan agreement worth 27.76 billion Japanese yen (around MAD 1.85 billion) to finance a Development Policy Program to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in Morocco.
The agreement was formalized in Rabat by Fouzi Lekjaa, Delegate Minister for Budget, along with Japan’s Ambassador to Morocco, Kuramitsu Hideaki, and Tomoyuki Kawabata, the Resident Representative of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in Morocco. The signing was also attended by Moroccan Health and Social Protection Minister Khalid Ait Taleb.
The initiative focuses on enhancing the delivery and quality of maternal and child health services, particularly in rural areas, and strengthening financial health protection.
During the signing ceremony, Lekjaa said that the agreement reflects the strong historical ties between Morocco and Japan. He highlighted the ongoing collaboration on over 40 development projects in vital sectors such as infrastructure, agriculture, and ports.
He underlined the agreement’s significance as it supports a major reform identified as a priority for the Moroccan government.
Meanwhile, Ait Taleb said that the agreement comes at a crucial time, reaffirming the ministry’s commitment to achieving the targeted objectives of the program.
Ambassador Kuramitsu noted that JICA and the Moroccan Ministry of Health have established a health policy framework underpinning the loan, which includes plans for expanding universal health coverage and improving both the quantity and quality of maternal and child health services.
Kawabata also assured that JICA will exert every effort to support the Ministry of Health and Social Protection in implementing the targeted actions outlined in the program.
