The National Agency for the Development of Oasis Zones and the Argan Tree (ANDZOA) has provided six ambulances and nine rapid-response firefighting kits to Morocco's Figuig Province. The equipment was handed over during a ceremony marking the 51st anniversary of the Green March. The six ambulances, purchased at a cost of MAD 3 million, will serve several local communities, with two fully equipped Type A ambulances assigned to the provincial hospitals of Bouarfa and Figuig.
The ambulances are part of a provincial program worth approximately MAD 5 million, which includes the acquisition of five additional ambulances at a cost of MAD 2 million, in partnership with the Tamellalt group of local authorities. ANDZOA's provincial director in Figuig, El Habib Bounhar, stated that the initiative aims to improve healthcare access in the region. The program also involves partnerships with several institutional, local, and civil society partners.
The nine rapid-response firefighting kits, worth MAD 360,000, were distributed to residents of the palm groves in Bouanane commune to protect the local ecosystem. The equipment was provided through a partnership between ANDZOA, the provincial council, and the commune. Nine local associations will receive the kits to help contain fires at their early stages while waiting for Civil Protection teams to arrive.
Baraka Badri, president of the Zaouia Association for Development and Environmental Preservation in Bouanane, welcomed the equipment as an important preventive measure to protect agricultural fields and oases. He stated that the kits would help local residents contain fires and limit their spread before the arrival of the relevant authorities.
ANDZOA also presented its healthcare achievements in Figuig Province, including the mobilization of nearly MAD 37.9 million through 11 partnership agreements covering 13 communes between 2023 and 2025. The agency contributed MAD 8.8 million, representing 23% of the total, while its partners provided MAD 29.1 million, or 77%. The projects include the construction and equipment of maternity homes, health centers, and Red Crescent centers.
Officials also presented progress under the program for preserving oases and improving their territorial attractiveness, involving an investment of nearly MAD 64.2 million. The program covers six oasis communes through nine partnership agreements and focuses on rehabilitating irrigation networks, protecting oases against flooding, and promoting ksour.
A new center offering vocational training to out-of-school youth was inaugurated in Bouarfa, built and equipped at a cost of MAD 9.5 million. The Second Chance – New Generation Center aims to provide alternative educational and vocational training opportunities for young people aged 13 to 20. Training programs will cover cooking, hairdressing, and audiovisual production, alongside educational support and life skills development.
Key points
- ANDZOA provides six ambulances and nine firefighting kits to Figuig Province to improve healthcare access and protect local oases.
