Latest news with #EmploymentandSkills
Morocco World
15-05-2025
- Business
- Morocco World
New VSEs Support Program to Benefit 110,000 Small Businesses in Morocco
Doha – Morocco's government will soon launch a new program dedicated to supporting very small enterprises (VSEs). The announcement came Thursday in Casablanca from Younes Sekkouri, Minister of Economic Inclusion, Small Business, Employment and Skills. 'This new mechanism aims to support VSEs across multiple areas, such as rent, accounting, or the acquisition of professional equipment, with a target of 110,000 beneficiaries,' Sekkouri stated. The minister was speaking at the first edition of the MSMEs (Very Small and Medium Enterprises) Forum organized by the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises (CGEM). The event was themed 'Inspire to Transform.' The program will focus on financing operating expenses for VSEs, self-entrepreneurs, and entrepreneurs under the CPU regime. With a budget of MAD 1 billion ($100 million), the initiative will be implemented in the coming weeks. Sekkouri stressed the need to strengthen leadership mechanisms, mediation, and information flow for TPMEs. He noted that some small businesses still face inappropriate responses from banking institutions due to a lack of understanding of their specific characteristics. The minister advocated for a more efficient and responsive guarantee system. This system would quickly detect difficulties and provide committed solutions. On financing, Sekkouri acknowledged that despite state guarantee mechanisms, many young entrepreneurs still encounter obstacles to access. A joint commission with the Ministry of Economy and Finance has been established to engage in in-depth consultation with banks. Addressing administrative simplification, the minister flagged the urgency of reforming the commercial and administrative authorization system. He called it a brake on TPME development. Sekkouri pushed for a transition to a model based on specifications, describing it as 'more flexible and better adapted to economic reality.' This strategic project is already underway, coordinating with several work teams to unleash entrepreneurial potential, particularly among young people. Read also: Morocco Records 78,244 New Businesses in First 10 Months of 2024 The minister also revealed that a comprehensive overhaul of the National Agency for Employment and Skills Promotion (ANAPEC) programs is underway. This particularly targets young people without diplomas. Regarding the new Labor Code, Sekkouri affirmed it will be finalized by year-end following a pragmatic approach in consultation with various social partners. 'This new code will, for the first time, regulate remote work and part-time work, opening new professional opportunities,' he emphasized. The TPME Forum featured inspiring testimonials from business leaders and a panel of entrepreneurs from various sectors. They discussed real-world challenges: launch stages, daily obstacles, financing needs, team management, and digital transition. The event also included two masterclasses. One centered around financing problems faced by TPMEs and available market solutions. The other provided tools for small businesses to respond to artificial intelligence challenges and seize opportunities. Through this first edition of the MSMEs Forum, CGEM reaffirmed its commitment to making small businesses a central lever for wealth and job creation. MSMEs represent 95% of CGEM members across Morocco. Tags: MSMEsSmall businesses in moroccoYounes Sekkouri
Maroc
09-05-2025
- Business
- Maroc
Morocco, Nigeria Explore Ways of Boosting Economic Ties
In a bid to bolster economic ties between Morocco and Nigeria and to strengthen cooperation in employment and training, Morocco's ambassador to Nigeria, Moha Ou Ali Tagma, held talks, on Wednesday in Abuja, with the country's Minister of Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha. This meeting, held in anticipation of the Nigerian Minister's incoming visit to Morocco, at the invitation of Minister of Economic Inclusion, Small Business, Employment and Skills, Younes Sekkouri, provided an opportunity to review the positive momentum of bilateral ties, which were given considerable impetus since the visit of His Majesty King Mohammed VI to Nigeria in December 2016. This meeting also provided a platform to delve into the remarkable cooperation in several fields, mainly energy, with catalytic projects for regional integration such as the African Atlantic Gas Pipeline, as well as to explore ways of exchanging experiences in youth training and employability. Speaking to MAP, Onyejeocha underscored the importance of exploring collaboration avenues between Nigeria and Morocco in training and skills development, to provide the youth with opportunities for better professional integration. She also called for the usage of digital platforms in order to set up appropriate training programs to boost the employability of young people and contribute to economic development. MAP: 08 mai 2025
Morocco World
08-05-2025
- Business
- Morocco World
Morocco Plans to Regulate Remote Work in Upcoming Labor Code Reform
Rabat – The Moroccan government will soon introduce specific regulations for remote work in the country's Labor Code, with the reform expected to take place in September or October. Younes Sekkouri, Minister of Economic Inclusion, Small Business, Employment and Skills, made the announcement on Wednesday during a conference on employment in the age of AI in Casablanca. The employment landscape has witnessed significant changes in recent years, including in Morocco, with work-from-home gaining popularity. This shift became especially prominent after the COVID-19 pandemic, which imposed a global lockdown that lasted several months. During that period, many companies transitioned to online operations and managed to function efficiently. With that, remote work became more widespread, as companies realized that being physically present in the office was not always necessary. During the event, Sekkouri spoke about ongoing changes in the employment landscape, including AI. He said that Morocco should not focus on AI as a problem for employment, but instead include it in a strategic vision that fits the country's unique situation and potential. The minister also called for a deep reform of the professional training system. He announced the upcoming launch of an AI-based observatory that will support young job seekers. This platform will include digital coaches to help young people improve their CVs and better understand the labor market. In addition, Sekkouri spoke about a new service line for employers to help them easily find available talent. He also mentioned a shift from focusing only on academic degrees to giving more importance to professional certifications. Sekkouri underlined the importance of working closely with the private sector and involving professionals directly in the design of training programs. He also encouraged the growth of local startups and national champions who can show that value can be created in Morocco in the age of AI. Tags: Employmentremote workwork
TECHx
17-04-2025
- Business
- TECHx
Ericsson, MIEPEEC Sign MoU at GITEX Africa to Upskill SMEs
Ericsson, MIEPEEC Sign MoU at GITEX Africa to Upskill SMEs Share Ericsson and Morocco's Ministry of Economic Inclusion, Small Business, Employment and Skills (MIEPEEC) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) during GITEX Africa 2025. The agreement aims to explore collaboration opportunities to digitally upskill entrepreneurs and small businesses in Morocco. The initiative supports Morocco's goal of building a more inclusive and innovative digital economy. Through this potential partnership, entrepreneurs may access Ericsson's global educational resources and digital learning platforms. Both parties plan to assess how Ericsson's programs can help develop essential digital skills. These skills are critical for business growth and innovation across various sectors. The initiative also aligns with MIEPEEC's broader mission to promote economic inclusion and digital transformation. Younes Sekkouri, Minister of Economic Inclusion, Small Business, Employment and Skills, said the collaboration reflects a shared vision to boost digital inclusion in Morocco. He highlighted its importance in strengthening the local entrepreneurial ecosystem and supporting the Digital 2030 Agenda. Majda Lahlou Kassi, President of Ericsson Morocco, expressed interest in identifying ways to support startups and small businesses. She noted that Ericsson's expertise can help build a future-ready and resilient business environment. The collaboration marks another key milestone at GITEX Africa, reinforcing the event's role in shaping Africa's digital future. It also supports Morocco's national efforts to enhance connectivity, drive innovation, and create sustainable economic opportunities through technology.
Morocco World
08-04-2025
- Politics
- Morocco World
Algerian Hackers Target Moroccan Employment Ministry's Database
Doha – In a hostile cyber attack on Tuesday, an Algerian hacking group calling themselves 'Jabaroot' claimed responsibility for breaching the official website of Morocco's Ministry of Economic Integration, Small Enterprise, Employment and Skills. The group claimed in a statement that the attack was 'in response to Moroccan harassment of official Algerian social media pages.' Specifically, they cited the blocking of the Algerian Press Service (APS) account on platform X as their pretext for the cyber assault. The hostile actors published what they described as 'important data' on their Telegram channel, including what they claimed were 'salary declaration forms' of Moroccan employees. In addition, the attackers published a provocative map of North Africa that deliberately misrepresented Morocco's territorial integrity. Their misleading map portrayed the Western Sahara region as separate from Morocco, while labeling it with the separatist Polisario Front's self-proclaimed republic and showing northern Morocco under Algerian influence. Moroccan expert Hassan Kherjouj had issued an early warning about the affected Moroccan ministry's vulnerability to such an attack. In a Facebook post dated April 3, Kherjouj detailed specific technical issues related to the website's WordPress configuration files, particularly concerning the 'public_html/wp-includes/ file, which manages database interactions. In his technical analysis, he outlined three potential security scenarios: '1. SQL Injection Attacks, 2. File Modification (Backdoors & Malware), 3. Remote Code Execution.' He cautioned that 'the mere knowledge of the database file name is a serious issue in itself.' Algerian media outlets claimed that their hackers 'managed to publish millions of data points primarily related to Moroccan citizens' names and salaries,' including CNSS salary declaration certificates. The cyber attack has temporarily disrupted access to the ministry's digital platform, with Moroccan citizens reporting inability to access the website's services. Moroccan hackers have reportedly launched counter-operations 'targeting Algerian government websites, as well as websites belonging to the separatist Polisario Front.' As of press time, the ministry has not issued an official statement regarding the incident or verified the authenticity of the allegedly leaked data. The website remains suspended and inaccessible to users. Read also: Algerian Hacker Attacks Website of Morocco's Confederation of Enterprises Tags: Algerian hackersMorocco's Ministry of Employment
