The new constitution of the Kingdom of Morocco adopted in July 2011 endorsed a new process of territorial reform based on decentralization.

This new organization is based on advanced regionalization, which gives the Region the responsibility for the integrated and sustainable development of its territory.

In 2015, Morocco extended this reform by modifying its territorial organization, from 16 to 12 regions and by promulgating three organic laws relating to local authorities (Regions, Provinces and Municipalities). These laws reinforce the power of the Regions but give them as a corollary, a more great responsibility in terms of economic development.

For respond to these new challenges, the Moroccan regions need to have a competent and better trained administration. It is in this context that the French Regions have decided to participate in support for this process of territorial reform and modernization of action Moroccan public, which will make it possible to share the French model of governance territorial, to strengthen the external action of French local authorities in Morocco, to help consolidate French economic influence in Morocco in terms of access to Moroccan market, and finally to deepen academic and scientific cooperation.

The strategic challenge of the project is to create a work environment conducive to new dynamics and networking between French and Moroccan actors, at benefit of elected officials and executives of Moroccan regions. Of this strategic issue stem from operational issues which relate to the following main dimensions:

- capacity building of human resources within the Regions to more efficiency in regional action,

- capacity building for strategic planning and implementation coherence of all localized public policies,

- capacity building and resource mobilization to promote the investment necessary for business development and creation jobs.

This project is therefore part of the continuity of the action carried out by AFD, in connection with the Moroccan DGCL, as well as institutional news from the Kingdom of Morocco (3rd decentralization stage) and France (3rd Decentralization Act).

The project aims to support the process of advanced regionalization, by promoting the increase in the skills of the Moroccan administration, through a program of training and skills building for elected officials and managers of the Regions Moroccan. Its objective is to strengthen the capacity of the regions to promote a sustainable development of the territory and to set up a new governance of regional action. To do this, the project will have to capitalize on the various training and capacity building already carried out in particular by the DGCL, but also on Occitanie Pyrénées - Méditerranée region - DREI - AFD FICOL funding application file - Version dated 10/15/2017 4 numerous initiatives undertaken by the French and Moroccan Regions within the framework of of their decentralized cooperation.