Morocco health ministry and the United Nations Population Fund (UNPF) signed here Wednesday a partnership agreement for the 2007-2011 period, aimed at improving health of women and youth.

This new agreement will specifically focus on two new Moroccan regions of Meknes Tafilalt and Gharb Chrarda Bni Hssen, on top of those who have already benefited from the 2002-2006 program, namely Marrakech Tensift Al-Haouz and Tadla Azilal.

The 2007-2011 plan of action, which will require mobilization of an overall budgetary package worth 6.26 million U.S. dollars, concerns three main support fields, namely regional decentralization and governance support program, management of an integrated women, adolescents and youth health program, participation and community health program.

Addressing the press after the signing ceremony, Moroccan health minister Mohammed Cheikh Biadillah noted cooperation between Morocco and UNPF is dated back to 1974.

He also stressed the main areas of cooperation are reproductive health, women advancement, reduction of inequalities to curb poverty, girl-child education and financing studies and research in the fields of population and demography.

Source: Xinhua