Morocco-France: 15th High-Level Meeting marks new stage in cooperation
via Le Matin6 min read
The 15th Morocco-France High-Level Meeting concluded with the signing of several agreements across strategic sectors. These agreements demonstrate the commitment of both nations to deepen their strategic partnership through structured projects. The meeting, held in Rabat, signifies a new phase in the cooperation between Morocco and France.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Le Matin.
The government is addressing repayment difficulties faced by some beneficiaries of the Forsa program, which has supported over 21,000 project holders since its launch. The program emphasizes accompaniment, with nearly 16,000 projects currently active due to monitoring, supervision, and coaching. For entrepreneurs experiencing constraints in meeting repayment deadlines, the government offers the option to request credit rescheduling based on individual situations, providing additional time to consolidate activities. Between June 2025 and June 2026, 4,600 rescheduling requests were filed. To date, approximately 1,400 beneficiaries have completed the necessary steps to defer loan repayments for up to twelve months, following an amendment to their loan and guarantee contracts. Other requests are still under review by financial institutions in coordination with regional stakeholders. The support system for the first edition of the program, launched in 2022, is provided by financial institutions and regional offices, while incubators support project holders from the second edition, initiated in 2023. These measures aim to sustain the entrepreneurial momentum of the Forsa program and reduce business failures, highlighting post-financing support as crucial for project longevity.
Meryem Belhoussine's research, based on testimonies from over 80 former Moroccan female parliamentarians, highlights the persistent exclusion of women from political governance. She identifies financial and sociocultural obstacles, such as limited resources for campaigns and gender stereotypes within parties, as well as "invisible resistances" like psychological violence and unfulfilled promises. Many women wait 30 to 35 years in activism before reaching parliament, revealing systemic dysfunctions. While quotas have significantly increased women's presence in parliament, they haven't transformed party operations, which remain opaque and influenced by informal networks. Quotas have often led to women being elected through reserved lists rather than competitive local constituencies, and are sometimes seen as political rent rather than merit-based promotion. Belhoussine notes that Moroccan political parties, despite constitutional reforms and legal requirements for female representation in leadership, often only partially adhere to these obligations without developing genuine strategies for promoting female leadership. She argues that the main challenge is no longer just getting women into institutions, but ensuring they have equal conditions, career prospects, and evaluation criteria as men. For the upcoming September 23, 2026 legislative elections, Belhoussine emphasizes that parties must invest in women in truly competitive constituencies. She advocates for democratizing the
Morocco is entering a new phase of its National Cancer Prevention and Control Plan 2020-2029. The steering committee, chaired by Minister of Health and Social Protection Amine Tehraoui, met in Rabat to review the mid-term evaluation and set priorities for public action until 2029. This meeting is part of the national health system reform and the generalization of social protection. The ministry aims to consolidate achievements and adapt healthcare services to increasing demand, driven by an aging population and improved diagnostic capabilities. Amine Tehraoui highlighted progress over the past 15 years in cancer care. Public oncology centers now monitor over 110,000 patients annually, including nearly 24,000 new cases. Morocco also has 59 reproductive health reference centers crucial for early detection of breast and cervical cancers. The minister emphasized that these advancements must lead to sustained improvement in care quality, focusing on reducing territorial disparities and strengthening equitable access to treatments. Encouraging results from the mid-term evaluation include a stronger network of specialized facilities, expanded oncology care, better access to innovative medicines, development of palliative care, and extended breast and cervical cancer screening programs. However, challenges remain, such as improving HPV vaccination coverage, preventing occupational and environmental cancers, and optimizing diagnostic and care pathways to international standards. Appro