Human Development programme still faces some challenges, but the results already obtained are encouraging, said Zoellick in a speech before HM King Mohammed VI in Casablanca at the opening ceremony of the Second meeting industry.       

   The Initiative, he said, has funded over 22,000 projects, up to $ 70,000 per project on average, with an over $ 1.5 billion budget appropriation for five million beneficiaries.

    Poverty rate reduced from 36% to 21% in the targeted rural areas and 40,000 jobs were created, since 2005, thanks to micro-projects funded under the Human Development initiative, he added.

    According to Zoellick, Morocco is on the track to exceed the targets of the Millennium Development Goals in terms of water supply and sanitation, recalling, in this regard, that the WB provided 285 million dollar to support the Kingdom’s efforts in this sector.