Speeches Shim
In 2015, USAID partnered with the Ministry of National Education, Vocational Training, Higher Education and Scientific Research to launch the 30-month Reading for Success – Small-Scale Experimentation activity to develop and test the most effective approaches to strengthen students’ Arabic reading skills in targeted primary schools. With the positive results from the pilot phase, and building on the data, evidence, and lessons learned, the Ministry of Education decided to implement this approach in grades one through four in all public elementary schools nationwide.
![USAID has established an independent Moroccan Investment Management Company to co-fund and secure necessary capital for growing Early Stage Businesses in Morocco. USAID has established an independent Moroccan Investment Management Company to co-fund and secure necessary capital for growing Early Stage Businesses in Morocco.](https://2017-2020.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/styles/square_thumbnail/public/MENA_II_0.jpg?itok=nQ6Pgg-w)
USAID designed the Middle East and North Africa Investment Initiative (MENA II) to unlock equity capital, deploy targeted technical assistance, and offset investment risk by providing investment insurance. The regional implementation of MENA II is planned to last for 20 years across several countries in the region, including Morocco.
In support of the Government of Morocco’s efforts to increase civic participation, USAID is providing direct grants to five Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) so that they can strengthen their capacities and become intermediary support organizations (ISOs) that help develop the skills of their entire network and effectively engage with the government on behalf of citizens. The five selected ISOs are long-standing local organizations are embedded into their communities and work to advocate for residents’ priorities and interests.
![A girl retrieves water at a nearby water source in rural Morocco. A girl retrieves water at a nearby water source in rural Morocco.](https://2017-2020.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/styles/square_thumbnail/public/1521543_10152229402459369_728006766_n_0.jpg?itok=KfTxQwXP)
USAID has provided support to Morocco’s water sector for over twenty years. In the late 1990s, USAID improved water resources management in the Souss-Massa River Basin, establishing a model of integrated water management that is still in use today. USAID’s work in Morocco has helped mitigate climate risks by introducing new technologies and building local capacity.
![USAID’s Civil Society Strengthening Program (CSSP) aims to take advantage of new constitutional prerogatives for including citizens in the public policy process. USAID’s Civil Society Strengthening Program (CSSP) aims to take advantage of new constitutional prerogatives for including citizens in the public policy process.](https://2017-2020.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/styles/square_thumbnail/public/PWD_CSSP_0.jpg?itok=dtBJPNWc)
There remains a need to help both government and civil society work together to ensure a more inclusive government that represents the interests of all citizens, especially women, youth, and marginalized groups. By increasing the capacity of civil society to engage with the government and facilitating the development of institutionalized mechanisms for civic participation in government decision-making, Morocco will be better situated to implement its reform agenda in a peaceful and sustainable manner. USAID aims to take advantage of the recent constitutional prerogatives to include citizens in the public policy process by acting as a platform to facilitate dialogue and exchange between Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and different government and institutional actors.
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