Marruecos quiere consolidar las bases del Estado social en 2023

The Moroccan government published its framework letter for the preparation of the next Finance Law 2023, which sets out the main guidelines for the Kingdom's draft budget. While issues relating to the revival of the national economy through investment support or the consecration of territorial justice appear, the consolidation of the foundations of the social state is one of the first ambitions of the Alaouite kingdom. In this respect, the generalisation of social security coverage has always been at the top of the government's priorities, in addition to the desire to generalise family benefits, which would affect almost 7 million children from low-income families, as well as 3 million needy families. 

Lucidly, the government argues that "hundreds of needy families deserve these compensations instead of resorting to social programmes that have proven to be less effective". To this end, the Moroccan government intends to "accelerate the publication of the unified social register as a basic support mechanism and guarantee of effectiveness", the circular states. The aim of this social register would be to register families wishing to benefit from support programmes, classifying them according to various criteria such as level of vulnerability, precariousness or poverty. The project would be partially linked to families registered with the National Social Security Fund, the institution that provides social security coverage to private sector workers. The circular specifies that this financial assistance would consist of a payment of 300 dirhams for each child, up to 3 children.

However, Morocco does not intend to stop there, and considers that the consolidation of the foundations of the social state cannot be achieved without a complete overhaul of the health sector. This is why the government wants to make it its "priority" by focusing on the qualification of this sector, while respecting the provisions of the framework law on the health system. In addition, the government intends to activate the law on the implementation of the conclusions of the social dialogue on the revaluation of the salaries of health personnel, which implies the release of a budget of 2.2 billion dirhams spread over two years, starting in 2023. Finally, the circular announces the launch of a government programme to consolidate human resources in the health sector by 2030, with the aim of increasing the level of medical and quasi-medical supervision to 24 doctors per 10,000 people by 2025 and 45 doctors per 10,000 people by 2030, instead of 2035, as established by the World Health Organisation (WHO). To achieve this goal, an increase in health personnel is foreseen, with a target of 94,000 in 2025 and 177,000 in 2030. 

More than projects and targets, the challenge for the North African country will be to be able to articulate several projects simultaneously without concentrating too much on one area of activity to the detriment of another, as the sectors are highly interdependent.