The GPOBA Trust Fund Supports Access to Water Supply and Sanitation Services in Morocco

Rabat, February 5, 2007 – The World Bank, acting as Administrator of the Global Partnership for Output-Based Aid Trust Fund (GPOBA), signed on January 29, 2007, a Grant Agreement for an Output-Based Aid (OBA) pilot project to improve access to water and sanitation services in poor communities in Morocco.

The total amount of the Grant financed by GPOBA, is US$7.0 million through contributions from the International Finance Corporation, the private sector arm of the World Bank Group (US$4.9 million) and the UK Department for International Development (US$2.1 million). The objective of the project is to demonstrate an output-based subsidy mechanism to facilitate access to water and sanitation services for approximately 11,300 low income households in selected peri-urban neighborhoods of Casablanca, Tangiers and Meknès, also targeted by the National Initiative for Human Development (“INDH”).