Los retos que encara el Gobierno de Marruecos

Morocco's government - formed in October 2021 following the victory of the National Rally of Independents (RNI) - begins a new legislative year with numerous challenges and issues to address.

King Mohammed VI opened the new year in parliament by announcing Rabat's intention to launch investment projects through a budget of 550 billion dirhams ($55 billion) and create 500,000 jobs between 2022 and 2026.

One of the challenges facing the government is drought, which Mohammed VI also mentioned in his speech. The monarch described it as "the most serious in more than three years", although he also recalled that the country has built "more than 50 dams since 1999" and that work on another 20 is nearing completion. 

It was then the turn of Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch, who pledged to raise the living standards of Moroccans and respond to their aspirations. However, he also acknowledged that the government faces a complex situation due to "the challenges of today's world". The war in Ukraine has affected the global economy in a number of ways, from rising fuel prices to higher grain prices.

"We will strive to ensure that the public policies of this government have a positive impact on the daily lives of citizens," said Akhannouch, who highlighted health and education as sectors where progress will be made. Likewise, "structured projects will be carried out to reduce price increases, promote public investment, stimulate private investment and maintain public financial balances".

With regard to healthcare, the Moroccan Prime Minister said that, according to the 2023 Finance Bill, approximately 9.5 billion dirhams have been earmarked to cover healthcare costs for those citizens who cannot afford it. As Akhannouch pointed out, "the state will bear all the costs of treatment and hospitalisation" of these people.

The start of this new legislative year coincides with new protests in the country against the high cost of living and the policies developed by the government in recent months. Some of these demonstrations, as AFP points out, have been called and organised by the country's main trade union, the UNTM, which is close to the Justice and Development Party (PJD), the Islamist party that governed the country before the arrival of the new government.

Abdel Rahim Al-Alam, Professor of Law and Political Thought at Cadi Ayyad University in Marrakech - quoted by Al-Arab - warns that the Moroccan government is facing its "biggest challenge", as "it must now start its reforms after a year of designing them".

He pointed out that these challenges require "great minds and enormous resources", so it will be a "miracle" if the government completes the year without problems and difficulties. Al-Alam mentions the threats of strike action by the education and health sectors. He also considers the cohesion between the parties in the government coalition to be "weak", which favours the political opposition formations. The current government is made up of the RNI, the winning party, the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) and the Istiqlal (IP).

With regard to citizens' problems, the professor stresses that Moroccans are waiting for the government to fulfil its electoral promises. Moroccan researcher and academic Mohamed Choucair agrees, stressing that state measures are expected to curb the price rises caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

"The domestic situation is not good, as prices are high, salaries are frozen, while at the international level, fuel prices are rising and there are problems in food supply chains," explains Choucair. On the other hand, Morocco also faces regional challenges, especially because of the current tension with Algeria.

Choucair proposes developing social protection projects and boosting investment. Al-Alam, for his part, highlights Morocco's potential in phosphate production, its enormous fishing wealth and its large agricultural exports abroad. He also recalls the contribution of Moroccans abroad to the country's economy and the foreigners who spend the winter in Morocco. "Parliament is the last one to rely on to face the current challenges," he adds.

Nevertheless, the government believes it is dealing well with the current challenges. Government spokesman Mustafa Baitas said he was "very satisfied" with the results achieved so far in a difficult and complex international context. Baitas listed measures to control inflation, as well as support for the transport sector in the face of rising fuel prices.