A Partner in Initiatives Launched by Public Authorities and International Organizations

The French Foreign Ministry initiated a public-private partnership in 2006, with as its founder members the French Ministry of the Economy, Finance and Industry (MINEFI), the French Development Agency (AFD), the international Pasteur Institute network, Sanofi-Aventis and Veolia Environnement.

The aim is to bring together French public and private organizations and top-level experts in their respective fields in order to implement aid programs in environmental improvement and health in developing countries. The three pilot countries are Madagascar, Niger and Vietnam.

The National Initiative for Human Development (NIHD) has been described as "the work in progress of the reign" of King Mohamed VI. It is a national plan to combat poverty and was launched in 2005.

Amendis is highly involved in this program. Its role consists of extending access to essential water, wastewater and electricity services to disadvantaged communities. Amendis proposes connection projects to the authorities for districts not yet connected to these services.

These programs also include the use of innovative technical solutions as well as using dialogue and explanation tools with the communities in question - this is called "social engineering". Following agreement by the authorities, these programs are then implemented by Amendis.

In September 2005, the first NIHD agreement was signed in the town of M'Diq, close to Tetouan, between Amendis, the authorities and other public services involved in this partnership in the presence of the king. The agreement incorporated expansion of the water and wastewater system to households in the district. The partnership, aim of this agreement, are a first for the country.

In 2006, Amendis again showed its commitment to NIHD in Tangiers by signing a second agreement presided over by the King. This framework agreement affected all those living in the administrative region of Tangiers (also known as Wilaya) who still did not have access to water and wastewater services. This program aims to supply 45,000 homes with water and 41,000 homes with wastewater systems by late 2010 through the use of social connections.