Morocco won the UN Prize "International Year of Micro-credit," which was handed to the Minister of Social Development Abderrahim Harouchi and Chairman of National Federation of Micro-credit Associations, Rida Lamrini at the time of a ceremony held at the UN headquarters. <i>MAP</i> reports that Morocco boasts 12 micro-credit associations that serve almost 600,000 people handling nearly 810 million dollar. In 1998, the UN general Assembly proclaimed 2005 as the International Year of Micro-credit to promote the role of micro-credit in fighting poverty.
