he Ministry of Tourism, Handicrafts, and Social and Solidarity Economy has categorically denied, this Thursday, the information suggesting that the Ombudsman of the Kingdom intervened to secure funding for additional projects in Tangier.
In a clarifying statement, the ministry declared that it « categorically denies the false and baseless information regarding the +Forsa+ program, particularly those involving the Ombudsman’s intervention to provide funding for additional projects in Tangier. »
The statement clarified that « the government has fulfilled all its commitments at the national level, even exceeding the initial targets. While the initial goal was 20,000 beneficiaries, the program successfully funded 21,200 project holders over its two editions. »
The ministry also emphasized that « the principle of regional equity was strictly adhered to in the distribution of funds, with all regions receiving their allocated shares in full. We have not received any recommendation from the Ombudsman indicating that any complainants have suffered injustice. »
Regarding project holder support, the entrepreneurship ecosystem, including incubators and financial institutions, closely monitored the candidates. Project holders who met the deadlines and procedures signed their contracts on time.
As for training and incubation, the « Forsa » program covered all training and support costs for participants. The training aimed to prepare participants in the field of entrepreneurship, regardless of whether they received « Forsa » funding.
Additionally, the ministry clarified that 545 candidates expressed their desire to receive support from the « Forsa » program through the Ombudsman. The Moroccan Tourism Engineering Company reviewed each of these files individually.
Finally, the statement concluded that « project holders who were unable to benefit from the +Forsa+ program were directed toward other funding solutions, particularly the ‘Intilaka’ program in cooperation with banks. Agreements were signed to facilitate this guidance and ensure the necessary support for these candidates. »