Latest news with #Akhannouch
Morocco World
2 days ago
- Business
- Morocco World
Morocco Officially Launches 2025–2027 Foreign Trade Roadmap
Doha – Morocco has officially launched its 2025-2027 Foreign Trade Roadmap, aiming to create 76,000 new jobs and generate an additional MAD 84 billion ($8.4 billion) in export revenues. The plan was unveiled in Casablanca on Wednesday during a ceremony chaired by Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch. The new roadmap focuses on three strategic objectives: job creation, expanding the export base by establishing 400 new export companies annually, and boosting export revenues. 'Through this roadmap, we aim to generate additional export revenue of more than 80 billion dirhams,' Akhannouch said during the launch ceremony. 'It also aims to broaden the exporter base, with the goal of reaching an average of 400 new exporters per year.' The strategy adopts an integrated and participatory approach structured around four intervention levers and six cross-cutting reforms. These include accelerating the digitalization of foreign trade and creating regional support offices across the country. Akhannouch stressed that the roadmap reflects King Mohammed VI's vision of economic openness. 'Our country, in perfect harmony with His Majesty's enlightened vision, has made a resolute choice for economic openness, driven by the deep conviction that integration into international trade is a fundamental lever for economic growth,' he stated. The government hopes the plan will improve the coverage rate of imports by exports by strengthening national exports and directing economic policies toward maintaining financial and commercial sustainability. Earlier this month, Akhannouch held a meeting in Rabat where the Secretary of State for Foreign Trade, Omar Hejira, presented the strategic plan. During that meeting, the prime minister talked about the importance of supporting Moroccan small and medium enterprises interested in entering the export sector. Read also: Morocco Eyes Major Export Boost to Egypt, Targets $500 Million by 2027 The roadmap's development followed months of preparation. In January, Hejira revealed that the plan was based on 524 proposals collected during a regional tour, with 80% coming from Morocco's regions and 20% from the ministry. The strategy also includes establishing 12 regional offices dedicated to foreign trade development across Morocco. Additionally, a chatbot for foreign trade will be launched to facilitate interaction between stakeholders and the ministry. Currently, 92% of Moroccan exports are concentrated in six key sectors: automotive (34.4%), agriculture and food industries (19.3%), phosphates and derivatives (17.8%), leather products (10.7%), aviation (5.3%), and electronics (4.3%). The roadmap also aims to address Morocco's trade imbalances. In 2023, Moroccan exports reached MAD 430 billion ($43 billion), compared to MAD 716 billion ($71.6 billion) in imports, resulting in a trade deficit of MAD 286 billion ($28.6 billion). A ministerial study updated in 2023 identified MAD 120 billion ($12 billion) in untapped export opportunities, with 10% related to African markets. To boost African trade, a new complementary public export insurance scheme will be launched in early June, initially covering commercial and political risks for buyers from 15 strategic African countries. The implementation of the roadmap will also include strengthening exports from the handicraft and social and solidarity economy sectors, as well as creating regional foreign trade support offices across all regions of the kingdom.
Maroc
3 days ago
- Politics
- Maroc
Moroccan Government Achieves Goals of Royal Plan on Social Protection- Govt. Head
The government succeeded in achieving the objectives of the Royal initiative to generalize social protection, aimed at strengthening social cohesion and promoting equitable access for all citizens to their fundamental rights, Government Head Aziz Akhannouch on Tuesday at the House of Councillors. Speaking during the monthly session dedicated to oral questions on general policy relating to the consolidation of the foundations of equity and social protection, Akhannouch emphasized that "the social protection initiative is emblematic of the Kingdom's civilizational and humanitarian depth, and reflects the pioneering nature of Morocco's reform model." This Royal project served as a foundation for the government's social responsibility and a guiding framework for establishing strong and inclusive social protection systems, he added, stressing that "driving structural transformation in the social field has become an urgent necessity, forming the core of a modern social state that ensures social justice and promotes inclusive and sustainable development." Furthermore, Akhannouch stated that the government has adopted an integrated vision to accompany the various changes taking place in the social protection sector, with the aim of increasing its effectiveness. "The development of institutional governance, along with the strengthening of its technical, logistical, and financial capacities, constitutes the operational arm responsible for translating governmental interventions into a genuine social bond with tangible effects on the ground," he stressed. In addition, the government has allocated a significant budget to the Direct Social Assistance Program—25 billion dirhams (MAD) for the year 2024 and 26.5 billion MAD for the current year, with the goal of reaching 29 billion MAD by 2026, Akhannouch said. He noted that this program, generalized in accordance with the High Royal Instructions, is intended to address various aspects of the social deficit faced by vulnerable families, with the ambition of targeting 4 million households—approximately 60% of families not currently covered by a family allowance scheme. The program is based on providing eligible families with a monthly social allowance, starting from a minimum of 500 MAD and reaching up to 1,200 MAD, depending on the household composition and the specific situation of its members, he concluded. MAP: 27 mai 2025
Morocco World
3 days ago
- Business
- Morocco World
Akhannouch: Morocco Ranks 2nd in Africa with 2% of GDP on Social Aid
Doha – Morocco has allocated MAD 26.5 billion ($2.65 billion) for the Direct Social Aid program in 2025. The government aims to increase this budget to MAD 29 billion ($2.9 billion) by 2026. Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch announced these figures Tuesday at the Chamber of Counselors. Morocco now ranks second in Africa for social spending, dedicating about 2% of its GDP to finance this program. The initiative targets 4 million families, representing approximately 60% of households not covered by family allowance schemes. The program provides monthly aid ranging from MAD 500 ($50) to MAD 1,200 ($120) based on family composition and circumstances. Since launching the digital platform ' in December 2023, around 4 million households have benefited from the program. These 4 million households represent nearly 12 million beneficiaries. Of these families, 3.2 million also receive Mandatory Health Insurance (AMO) services. More than 2.4 million households include children, while about 1.5 million have no children. Social transformation takes major leap Over 5.5 million children now receive direct aid through the program. Additionally, more than one million people aged over 60 receive monthly social assistance in the form of lump-sum subsidies. These subsidies aim to preserve the dignity of the elderly, strengthen their purchasing power, and reduce risks associated with aging. The prime minister noted that the government allocated MAD 25 billion ($2.5 billion) to the program for 2024. The government has also strengthened efforts against school dropout rates. About 1.8 million families with 3.1 million students receive exceptional aid. This support amounts to MAD 200 ($20) for primary and middle school, and MAD 300 ($30) for high school, limited to six children per family. Akhannouch revealed that 61% of beneficiaries come from rural areas. This approach aligns with the government's commitment to promoting equal opportunities, especially for rural girls. Currently, 75% of children aged 6 to 20 are covered by school aid. The government has also implemented a birth premium program. Families receive MAD 2,000 ($200) for the first child and MAD 1,000 ($100) for the second. A crucial extension of social coverage By the end of January, 42,800 families had benefited from this initiative. The program aims to improve maternal and child health, strengthen vaccination, and support healthy childhood. Support for widows has seen unprecedented progress. More than 420,000 widows currently benefit from aid, compared to only 75,000 at the end of 2021. Among them, 330,000 have no children, marking a major extension of social coverage. Nearly 87,000 widows care for 97,000 orphaned children, with support expected to reach MAD 400 ($40) per schooled child by 2026. The Mandatory Health Insurance now covers all Moroccan families. The government has integrated more than 4 million vulnerable households into a non-contributory system. These families receive free healthcare and hospitalization in public health facilities. The state ensures the sustainability of this system by covering these families' contributions, amounting to about MAD 9.5 billion ($950 million) annually. Since the launch of this system until March, more than 14 million medical files have been registered with the CNSS agency. These include over 300,000 related to chronic or costly diseases. Nearly 12 million cases have been processed, with a total amount exceeding MAD 17 billion ($1.7 billion). Health insurance in Morocco has made decisive progress with the massive integration of non-salaried and independent workers. Through the adoption of 28 implementing decrees, nearly 3.5 million people now benefit from medical coverage adapted to their income. By April, more than 400 million cases had been filed, with an average of 2,255 per day. Some 360,000 cases have already been processed, for an amount of nearly MAD 1 billion ($100 million). Read also: Education Reform: Akhannouch Reviews Achievements, Charts Path Forward
Morocco World
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Morocco World
Education Reform: Akhannouch Reviews Achievements, Charts Path Forward
Doha – In a comprehensive address to the House of Representatives on Monday, Chief of Government Aziz Akhannouch outlined Morocco's ambitious education reform strategy and its major achievements to date. Speaking during a plenary session on general policy focused on 'The reform of the educational system: from pioneer schools to excellence universities for rising generations,' Akhannouch presented a detailed progress report on what has become one of the government's most strategic priorities. The reform aims to restructure Morocco's education system—from primary to university—through financial investments and updated teaching methods to address equity and opportunity gaps, the Prime Minister argued. $8.5 billion earmarked for education 'Throughout the 25 years of His Majesty King Mohammed VI's reign, the Moroccan school has been a national priority,' he stated, referencing the King's 2015 Throne Speech. The King had emphasized that 'education reform must primarily aim to enable learners to acquire knowledge and skills, and to master national and foreign languages, especially in scientific and technical fields that open doors to social integration.' The government has demonstrated its commitment through unprecedented financial backing. Akhannouch revealed that the 2025 finance law allocated over MAD 85 billion (approximately $8.5 billion) to education, compared to MAD 68 billion ($6.8 billion) in 2019. Additionally, the government plans to mobilize MAD 9.5 billion ($950 million) in supplementary funding annually until 2027. 'The common concern that unites us, government and parliament, is to restore the confidence of Moroccan families in public schools,' Akhannouch vowed. He noted that the government's interventions are based on the need to break with previous reform implementation methods that prevented students from acquiring basic learning skills during their school life and addressing the high dropout rates, particularly at middle and high school levels. 'Pioneer Schools': Transforming education quality A centerpiece of the reform is the 'Pioneer Schools' (Écoles de Riyadah) initiative launched in 2022. Akhannouch presented impressive statistics about the program's implementation and results. 'The past academic year marked the effective launch of the Pioneer Schools project, encompassing more than 620 primary educational institutions and benefiting over 330,000 students in both urban and rural areas,' he reported. The current academic year has seen important expansion, with the program now reaching 2,626 primary institutions serving more than 1.3 million students—approximately 30% of all enrolled students. These schools implement a targeted program to address learning difficulties through the TARL (Teaching at the Right Level) approach, providing individualized instruction based on each student's needs with regular, precise assessment of basic learning skills. Results have been encouraging. 'This system has recorded tangible improvement in students' basic learning: four times better in mathematics, twice better in Arabic, and three times better in French,' Akhannouch noted, adding that this represents learning recovery equivalent to between one and two academic years. Students attending 'Pioneer Schools' achieved better results in evaluations compared to more than 82% of students not benefiting from this program, he asserted, describing these as 'very advanced results' that compelled the government to accelerate the completion of this program's implementation. The top executive also mentioned that the initiative has expanded to include 'Pioneer Middle Schools' this year, with approximately 230 middle schools (representing 10% of all middle schools) now participating, benefiting more than 200,000 students and involving 600 inspectors and over 6,000 teachers. Higher education and research: Preparing for Morocco's future The government's educational vision extends to higher education, with Akhannouch pushing for the transition to 'maximum speed' in implementing the national strategic plan to accelerate the transformation of higher education, scientific research, and innovation by 2030. University enrollment has reached approximately 1.3 million students, including more than 344,000 new students, with 91% registered in public universities. The current academic year continues to offer diverse training programs with nearly 4,000 new tracks approved. 'During this academic year, we've established 82 new 'tamayouz centers' for academic excellence in open-enrollment institutions, comprising 186 pathways serving over 15,000 students,' Akhannouch said. 'These centers are directed toward future professions and align with socioeconomic requirements and national priorities.' The government's vision for higher education aims to achieve five major objectives: reaching 100,000 graduates by 2027 in engineering, technical fields, and middle management positions; increasing health sector professionals by 2030; training 10,000 social assistants by 2030; preparing 50,000 teachers for primary and secondary education by the end of 2025; and strengthening digital specializations to reach 22,500 graduates by 2027. Akhannouch also detailed advances in doctoral research, with 245 doctoral tracks enrolling over 11,700 students in the 2024-2025 academic year in fields related to national development priorities. Additionally, the government is implementing a national program to train 1,000 new-generation doctoral students on distinguished research projects, offering them a net monthly grant of MAD 7,000 ($700). 'We will continue building the school of quality and success for tomorrow's generations,' Akhannouch concluded, 'and building an innovative university system to achieve social advancement for the youth of the future… We will continue building the social state that invests in people.' Read also: Morocco's School Dropout Crisis: 280,000 Students Abandon Education Annually Tags: Aziz AkhannouchMorocco's education reform
Morocco World
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Morocco World
Akhannouch's Deputy Sparks Uproar: ‘Leave Morocco' Comment Ignites Fury
Doha – A fiery statement by Zahra El Manchoudi, Deputy Mayor of Agadir and close ally of Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch, has erupted into a political firestorm across the coastal city and throughout Moroccan social media. El Manchoudi, who serves as the ninth deputy to Akhannouch in his capacity as Agadir's Mayor and oversees cultural affairs for the council, delivered the inflammatory remarks during the May municipal council session while defending the administration's record. 'Those who like what we're doing, that's good. Those who don't like what we're doing can vacate Agadir and go to another city, or we can collect money for them to go somewhere else,' El Manchoudi declared, her words streaming live on the municipality's official Facebook page. The statement came as she praised Akhannouch's leadership and lashed out at critics of the National Rally of Independents (RNI)-led council. Her comments immediately went viral, triggering a tsunami of outrage from residents, activists, and opposition politicians. Civil society figures swiftly condemned the remarks. Some labeled her comments 'extremely dangerous' and particularly inappropriate given growing dissatisfaction with the council's handling of city affairs and ongoing infrastructure problems. Several critics demanded her immediate resignation, insisting any forthcoming apology would prove inadequate given the 'provocative' language she employed toward both constituents who voted for her and those who didn't. Community leaders expressed shock at the deputy's rhetoric, saying she should focus on revitalizing neighborhood centers that have lost their educational and developmental roles instead of making reckless statements with negative societal impact. Facing intense backlash, El Manchoudi posted a formal apology on her Facebook page the following day, attempting to contain the damage. 'During my speech at the Agadir municipal council session, I failed to express myself properly while responding to some voices that deliberately undervalue the important work our council is doing,' she wrote. 'I apologize to all Agadir residents for the words that came from me, which were not intended to offend or condescend to them.' She stressed her deep connection to the city. 'The beloved people of Agadir know me well and understand my love and appreciation for my city and its residents. I have always been dedicated to serving them even before entering politics, driven by my love for this dear city to develop it,' El Manchoudi emphasized. She concluded: 'I renew my apology to the dear people of Agadir and to everyone who felt offended by what I said, which was not meant to be presumptuous or hurtful. I confirm that I have been and continue to work to serve the interests of the city and my beloved country with full responsibility and seriousness.' Opposition figures step into the fray The incident has provided ammunition to opposition forces. Justice and Development Party (PJD) leaders and council members called the statement 'shocking and provocative,' stressing that such comments are 'unbecoming of an elected official in a city historically known for its traditions of coexistence and mutual respect.' Opposition figures further dismissed Akhannouch as the 'absent president,' claiming that he 'is only seen in ceremonial photos devoid of political and administrative meaning.' They insisted the controversy reflects deeper issues within the council's governance structure. 'This statement is not an isolated case but comes in the context of repeated discourse by some members of the governing bureau, a discourse saturated with gratuitous praise and built on denying the efforts of previous councils,' one opposition council member told local media. The controversy occurs amid growing tensions between the municipal council and various civil society components and political opposition, who criticize what they describe as 'weak interaction with citizens' complaints' and 'centralization of decisions in the hands of a narrow group of elected officials.' Meanwhile, council supporters defend El Manchoudi, arguing her comments came in an emotional context responding to 'systematic campaigns' aimed at undermining the council's work, which they say has initiated major urban infrastructure rehabilitation projects in recent years. Many critics pointed out that achievements cited by the council were largely the result of the royal program 'Agadir Urban Development Plan 2020-2024,' signed before the King on February 4, 2020, during the previous administration led by the PJD. The incident has reignited debate about responsible political discourse that respects citizens' intelligence and their right to question and criticize, viewing elected officials not as privileged but as entrusted with responsibilities requiring listening, openness, and humility. Read also: Conflict of Interest? Akhannouch Faces Backlash Over Desalination Deal Tags: Agadir mayorAziz Akhannouchbacklash
