Tetouan- King Mohammed VI launched on Saturday the 2014-2018 program for the urban and economic development of the city of Tetouan, endowed with a budget of 5.5 billion MAD.
The program, drawn up in conformity with the Royal orientations for the development of the urban landscape of Moroccan cities, aims to promote the socio-economic basis of the city, consolidate its positioning, improve the living conditions of inhabitants and preserve environment.
The five-year program, building on a systematic participative approach which involved various stakeholders in the city, means to make of Tetouan an attractive and residential city.
It also seeks to take up urban, economic, social and environmental challenges facing this northern urban conglomeration.
At the urban level, the landmark program features mainly the consolidation of internal roads and streets, the addition of a second lane to the road linking Tetouan and Chefchaouen, modernization of the public lighting network, reinforcement and renewal of the liquid sanitation, drinking water and electricity grids of the urban commune of Tetouan, of the neighboring rural communes and the urban commune of M’Diq, construction of public squares, creation of parks and building a monitored public landfill site.
At the economic level, the program includes the completion of the industrial zone, creation of a handicraft compound, upgrading of markets, construction of a fish wholesale market and building of communal equipment (slaughterhouse, fruits and vegetables wholesale market and livestock market).
To guarantee the safety of population, the program includes burying high-tension electricity lines and building an electric plant and a fire-fighter barracks.
At the social level, the program for the urban and economic development of Tetouan plans to rehabilitate the port sector by creating the great sports complex of Tetouan, an indoors multi-sports stadium, an indoors swimming pool, a tennis club and two stadiums.
Regarding the health sector, the program features the creation of a regional hospital, the upgrading of the Saniat R'Mel provincial hospital, the building of two health centers, in addition to reinforcing community social facilities.
As far as the cultural field is concerned, rehabilitating the national theater, creating a multimedia library and a music conservatory, upgrading two school theaters and legacy restoration are other features of this program.
Training is another component of the program which features the building of an architecture school, a higher institute of applied technologies, a campus, preparatory classes for engineer schools and restoration of the sciences faculty.
A particular attention is granted to environmental stakes and sustainability by the program which includes the development of the Oued Martil valley, spanning over the communes of Martil, Azla and Tetouan, through the construction of hotels, residences, leisure spaces, development of a Gulf green, the construction of a marina, the development of the Tamouda plains, island and the "Touibla" park.
On this occasion, King Mohammed VI chaired the signing ceremony of three conventions on the implementation of the 2014-2018 program for the urban and economic development of the city of Tetouan.
After the cities of Tangiers, Marrakech and Sale, Tetouan is also endowed with an integrated, balanced and inclusive development program to be on par with international metropolises.