The Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Samantha Power, highlighted Morocco’s notable advancements in energy transition, noting its role as an “accelerator” of the transformation towards a green economy at the regional level.
During the ceremony presenting the new USAID Mission Director in Morocco, Randy Ali, held on Friday in Washington in the presence of the Kingdom’s ambassador to the United States, Youssef Amrani, the American official discussed Morocco’s capabilities in the production and export of fertilizers, as well as its momentum to produce more than one-third of its electricity from renewable energy sources.
The Kingdom has set a goal to increase this share to 52% by 2030, she said, noting that this ambition already makes Morocco “a leader not only in the region but worldwide.”
Referring to her recent visit to the Kingdom, Samantha Power stated that she witnessed firsthand the “extraordinary” determination to continue advancing the march of progress and development.
Highlighting the partnership between USAID and Morocco, she indicated that since 2021, the agency’s mission in the Kingdom has more than doubled the percentage of funding allocated to local organizations, rising from 16% in 2021 to nearly 40% in 2023.
For his part, Mr. Amrani expressed satisfaction with the “exceptional and long-standing” cooperative relationship that drives the partnership between USAID and Morocco, emphasizing the “crucial role” of the agency’s programs in the fields of education, water management, public health, microfinance, and women’s empowerment.
The diplomat also recalled the significant potential for strengthening this active cooperation in various priority areas such as food security and water management.
At the regional level, he emphasized the relevance of further developing trilateral projects in Africa, building on the initiatives recently launched in partnership with the OCP Group in the agricultural sector.
In this regard, Mr. Amrani mentioned the structuring axes of the Kingdom’s public policies, designed to catalyze, support, and deepen development dynamics in various strategic sectors.
He affirmed that these strategies stem from a vision promoted at the highest level by His Majesty King Mohammed VI, placing the human dimension at the heart of all considerations and as the ultimate goal of any approach aimed at improving inclusive prosperity, both nationally and on the African continent.
During this ceremony, which was also attended by the Coordinator of the Prosper Africa initiative, British Robinson, the new USAID Mission Director in Rabat stated that he intends to support and assist the Kingdom’s momentum in the fields of energy transition, water resource management, agriculture, and women’s empowerment.
Randy Ali noted that beyond strictly bilateral cooperation, he aims to contribute to efforts to strengthen Moroccan leadership in Africa, particularly through funding strategic and targeted projects, especially in areas such as food security and health.