The Tokyo-based Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has made two loans totalling $261m to the government of Morocco to fund infrastructure and water projects in the country.

The first loan of $93m will be used to complete construction on a 120-kilometre highway that links the northern cities of Jebha and Tetouan. It was signed on 18 March.

The second loan of $171m will finance the construction of a wastewater treatment station and the reinforcement of Morocco’s aging drinking water network. It was also signed on 18 March.  

The loan comes as the latest in a series of initiatives aimed at economic cooperation between Morocco and Japan.

Through its Official Development Assistance (ODA) programmes, Japan has contributed $2.4bn in loans, $353m in grants and $331m in technological assistance to Morocco’s development.

The years 2005 and 2006 marked the highpoint of Japanese-Moroccan economic cooperation. Assistance projects in those years included:   

2005

• Urban sewer construction (loan)
• Global electrification in Rural Area III (loan)
• Settat-Marrakech expressway (loan)
• Non-project grant aid (grant)
• Cultural grant aid (grant)

2006

• Watershed management (loan)
• Urban living environment improvement (loan)
• Sewerage system development (loan)
• Rural maternal health services (grant)
• 11 human security projects (grant)