Morocco to freeze civil service hiring in 2021 except in health, education and security

Tough times ahead for Morocco to cushion the impact of the coronavirus after head of the government Saad Eddine El Othmani asked public administrations to freeze hiring in all sectors next year with the exception of education, health and security.

The move will follow a review of the budget law, which shall attach importance to education, health, social protection and digital transformation.

Morocco expects a spike in spending to counter coronavirus and mitigate its social and economic impact combined with a drop in tax and customs revenues as demand falters and exports drop along with tourism revenue and remittances by Moroccans abroad.

Morocco, which mobilized $4 billion in foreign debt to fund its balance of payments, is also expected to issue an international bond this year to further consolidate its foreign exchange reserves.

So far, the figures released by the central bank reveal the scale of the coronavirus impact with growth seen contracting 5.2% and the budget deficit deepening over 7%.

Earlier, the government ordered the first measure to rationalize spending by putting off promotions of employees and hiring new staff.