Curtain officially opens for Morocco’s new cabinet after reshuffle

King Mohammed VI received the new government members after a reshuffle that is intended to inject a new life to the government, institutions and the administration.

The new government has been compacted from 38 to 24 members, including four women.

the Reshuffle comes in implementation of the royal guidelines set out in the latest State of the Nation Address.

In the State of the Nation Address of 29 July 2019, the Monarch had singled out Some senior officials of the Moroccan administration, including cabinet members, governors, and local elected representatives for their failure to follow up the implementation of several social and economic development projects.

Actually, in his speech, the King brought up the events taking place in some parts of the country, which “have regrettably revealed an unprecedented lack of the sense of responsibility,” chiding ministers in charge of socio-economic projects for the delay in the delivery of the projects.

The Sovereign had then asked the Head of Government to make proposals for the renewal and enrichment of executive positions, both within the government and the administration.

In the new government led by Saad-Eddine El Otmani (Islamist PJD party) and unveiled Wednesday, several ministers kept their posts such as Abdelouafi Laftit (Interior Department), Nasser Bourita (Foreign Affairs), Ahmed Toufiq (Islamic Affairs), Mohamed Benchaaboun (Economy & Finance), Aziz Akhannouch (Agriculture & fisheries) and Moulay Hafid Elalamy (Industry, Trade, Commerce and Digital Economy).

The Heads of three other ministerial departments also remained unchanged. These are Education & vocational training minister Said Amzazi as well as the posts of Minister Delegate for National Defense Abdellatif Loudiyi, Minister Delegate for the Interior (Noureddine Boutayeb) and minister Delegate to foreign affairs, Mohcine Jazouli, and Mohammed Hajoui (Secretary General of Govt).

Some members of the previous cabinet were tasked with new ministerial departments. This is the case of Mohamed Benabdelkader (USFP) who quits the Ministry of Reform Administration and Civil Service to become Minister of Justice.

Nezha El Ouafi (PJD) leaves the secretariat of state in charge of Sustainable Development to become Junior Minister of Moroccan expatriates, while Jamila Moussali (PJD) becomes Minister of Solidarity, Social Development, Equality and Family. She replaces Bassima Hakkaoui of the same party.

The new comers are Mr. Khalid Ait Taleb (Health minister), Mrs. Nezha Bouchareb (minister of Urbanism & Housing), while Mrs. Nadia Fettah Alaoui took over the Department of tourism.
The list of new ministers also includes Mohamed Amkraz (Ministry of Labor & Vocational Integration), El Hassan Abyaba (Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, Govt Spokesman), Driss Ouaouicha Minister Delegate for High Education and scientific research.

Two senior PJD members were maintained in the EL-Othmani II Govt. These are Mustapha Ramid (Minister of State for Human Rights & Relations with Parliament) and Mr. Aziz Rebbah (Minister of Energy, Mines & Environment).

Abdelkader Amara, Minister of Public Works, Transport, Logistics and Water, from the same party is also maintained in the new line-up.