Morocco: King Mohammed VI chairs council of ministers

Morocco’s King Mohammed VI chaired on Thursday at the Royal Palace in Rabat a Council of Ministers devoted to examining the general guidelines of the 2024 Finance Bill and approving a bill and a draft decree relating to the military field, three international conventions and a number of appointments to high office, said a press release from the Royal Palace.

Here follows the communique:

“His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist Him, chaired, on Thursday 03 Rabii II 1445 H, corresponding to October 19, 2023 at the Royal Palace in Rabat, a Council of Ministers devoted to examining the general guidelines of the 2024 Finance Bill and approving a bill and a draft decree relating to the military sector, three international conventions and a number of appointments to high office.

At the start of the Council’s proceedings and in accordance with the provisions of article 49 of the Constitution, the Minister of Economy and Finance presented before His Majesty the King an outline of the 2024 Finance Bill.

The Minister stressed that the preparation of this Finance Bill takes place against a backdrop marked by the downturn in global economic activity, persistent geopolitical tensions and rising inflationary pressures and energy prices, in addition to the impact of the painful earthquake that struck our country last September.

Morocco has demonstrated, under the wise leadership of His Majesty the King, may God preserve Him, a positive response and high effectiveness to this natural disaster. In application of the High Royal Instructions, an integrated, multidimensional program has been drawn up, encompassing all sectors and aimed at rebuilding and upgrading the affected regions. It concerns almost 4.2 million inhabitants of the affected regions, for an estimated budget of 120 billion dirhams over five years.

The Minister added that the Finance Bill aims to pursue the reforms launched and to implement the priorities set out in the Royal Speeches and the government program.

The general orientations of the 2024 Finance Bill revolve around four main points:

Firstly: Implementing the “Program for the reconstruction and general upgrading of the regions affected by the Al Haouz earthquake”, as well as reinforcing measures to combat cyclical impacts: In application of the High Royal Instructions, this program will be implemented rapidly, using an integrated approach and coordinated governance based on the establishment of the High Atlas Development Agency within a conventional framework involving all stakeholders, with contributions from the General State Budget, local authorities, the Special Solidarity Fund dedicated to managing the effects of the earthquake and the Hassan II Fund for Economic and Social Development, in addition to international support and cooperation.

In parallel with the mobilization of an additional budget to honor social dialogue commitments, water resource management is a priority, through the acceleration of the implementation of the national drinking water supply and irrigation program, as well as support for agricultural inputs with a view to mitigating inflation and sustaining citizens’ purchasing power.

Secondly: Continuing to consolidate the foundations of the Social State: in particular through the implementation of the Royal social protection project, via the continued generalization of Compulsory Basic Health Insurance for underprivileged categories, in parallel with the gradual operationalization of direct social assistance starting from the end of the current year, by backing it up with the targeting system of the Unified Social Register, as affirmed by His Majesty the King in the Opening Speech to Parliament.

This program targets 60% of Moroccan families not currently covered by social security schemes. In view of the importance of this large-scale Royal societal project, and in recognition of the High Solicitude that His Majesty the King, may God glorify Him, grants to needy and vulnerable families, it has been decided that the value of direct social assistance should not be less than 500 dirhams for each targeted family, whatever its composition.

This societal project will be backed by the completion of the legal framework relating to the rehabilitation of the national health system, and the continuation of the reform of the education and training system, as one of the pillars of the Social State.

In application of the High Royal Instructions, priority will be given to the operationalization of the new housing assistance program.

Thirdly: Continued implementation of structural reforms: notably through the completion of the reform of the justice system, with the aim of consolidating the rule of law and guaranteeing legal and judicial security, necessary for the achievement of overall development, as well as the implementation of the High Royal Instructions relating to the revision of the Family Code.

In application of the High Orientations of His Majesty the King, may God glorify Him, productive investment will be set up as an essential lever for boosting the national economy and anchoring Morocco in promising productive sectors, notably through the continued operationalization of the Mohammed VI Fund for Investment and the implementation of the new Investment Charter, to consolidate the investment dynamic and contribute to the implementation of various structuring reforms in the fields of agriculture, tourism, administrative reform and the process of administrative deconcentration and advanced regionalization.

Fourthly: Strengthening the sustainability of public finances: in particular through reform of the Organic Law on the Finance Law, continued development of innovative financing, as well as enhancing the value of the public portfolio and improving its yield, by ensuring the implementation of the framework law on tax reform and the controlled and rational management of administrative operating expenses.

The Minister pointed out that the Finance Bill is based on assumptions of a growth rate of 3.7% in 2024 and a budget deficit of 4% of GDP.

After approving the general guidelines of the 2024 Finance Bill, the Council of Ministers approved a draft law and a draft decree relating to the military field.

The bill is meant to confer the status of Wards of the Nation on children who were victims of the “Al Haouz earthquake”, which struck this province on September 08, 2023, and whose impact also affected the prefecture of Marrakech and the provinces of Chichaoua, Taroudant, Ouarzazate and Azilal.

The draft decree amends the decree implementing the law on Wards of the Nation, in application of the High Royal Instructions aimed at improving their material situation and living conditions, by entitling each person with the status of Ward of the Nation, on an individual basis, to the lump-sum allowance reserved for Wards of the Nation, regardless of the number of members taken into care, instead of providing for a single allowance shared equally between the children of the same family.

As part of Morocco’s international commitments, the Council of Ministers approved three multilateral conventions, two of which are part of the Kingdom’s gradual accession to the legal mechanisms of the Council of Europe, open to non-member States. These are the Civil Law Convention on Corruption and the Criminal Law Convention on Corruption.

The necessary observations and objections will be presented on this subject, concerning provisions in contradiction with national legislation.

The third convention concerns a protocol adopted by the International Civil Aviation Organization to extend the scope of membership of the Organization’s Council and its Air Navigation Commission.

In accordance with the provisions of article 49 of the Constitution and on the proposal of the Head of Government and on the initiative of the Interior Minister, His Majesty the King, may God preserve Him, appointed a number of walis and governors:

– Saaid Amzazi, Wali of the Souss-Massa region, governor of Agadir Ida Outanane prefecture.

– Mohamed M’Hidia, Wali of the Casablanca-Settat region, governor of Casablanca prefecture.

– Farid Chourak, Wali of the Marrakech-Safi region, governor of Marrakech prefecture.

– Younès Tazi, Wali of the Tangier-Tétouan-Al Hoceima region, governor of Tangier-Assilah prefecture.

– Ali Khalil, Wali of the Dakhla-Oued Eddahab region, governor of Oued-Eddahab prefecture.

– Abderrazzak Mansouri, governor of Tetouan prefecture.

– Hassan Zitouni, governor of Al Hoceima prefecture.

– Jamal Chaarani, governor of Nador prefecture.

– Abdellah Jahid, governor of Ouarzazate prefecture.

– Ismail Haikal, governor of Tinghir prefecture.

And on the proposal of the Head of Government and on the initiative of the Interior Minister, His Majesty the King appointed:

– Mohamed El Guerrouj as Director General of the National Agency for the Regulation of Cannabis Activities.

– Loubna Boutaleb as Director of the Agency for the development of the Marchica lagoon site.

And on the proposal of the Head of Government and on the initiative of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, His Majesty the King, may God assist Him, appointed:

– Ahmed Tazi, Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates.

– Fouad Akhrif, Ambassador to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

– Mohamed Ait Ouali, Ambassador to the Arab Republic of Egypt.

– Samira Sitaïl, Ambassador to the French Republic.

– Abdelkader El Ansari, Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China.

– Youssef Amrani, Ambassador to the United States of America.