12 May 2025, Rabat, Morocco – World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Dr Hanan Balkhy concluded her first official visit to Morocco, from 5 to 7 May 2025. The visit represents a major step in strengthening collaboration between WHO and the Government of Morocco.
Dr Balkhy’s meeting with Minister of Health and Social Protection H.E. Amine Tehraoui focused on reinforcing collaboration under the Country Cooperation Strategy 2023–2027. Dr Balkhy expressed WHO support for Morocco's health system reforms and ambitions to extend universal health coverage and commended Morocco’s vision to enhance health and medicine sovereignty in the country and the Region.
Recognizing Morocco's strategic role as a bridge between the Organization and countries of the Region, Dr Balkhy underlined the need for increased cooperation to launch new initiatives. Both parties highlighted the importance of strengthening the Morocco-WHO partnership to achieve shared public health goals, develop regional health systems and adhere to WHO guidelines on epidemic prevention and pharmaceutical security.
To promote the Regional Director’s flagship initiative on expanding equitable access to quality medical products, Dr Balkhy met with Mr Younes Hilali, Director of the vaccine manufacturing laboratory Marbio. Dr Balkhy commended Morocco’s plans for local vaccine production to achieve medicine sovereignty.
The Regional Director also met with Director of the Moroccan Agency for Medicines and Health Products Professor Samir Ahid and his