Finance Headlines Maghreb Morocco

Morocco lifts cap on foreign debt due to coronavirus

The Moroccan government lifted the threshold on foreign debt as it braces for dwindling foreign exchange reserves due to the impact of coronavirus on the flow of hard currency to the country. The move aims at addressing the needs in terms of foreign exchange reserves as the coronavirus repercussions are expected to hit tourism revenues, […]

Finance Headlines Maghreb Morocco

COVID-19: Morocco devotes 2.7% of GDP to address health crisis, ranks 4th worldwide

Morocco has devoted a huge budget to address the COVID-19 health crisis, becoming part of the top five countries worldwide that have devoted huge budgets to outweigh the economic impact of Covid-19. According to data compiled by the American Goldman Sachs bank, Morocco is the fourth country in the world to earmark the largest amounts […]

Finance Headlines Morocco

Morocco braces for austerity measures in wake of Covid-19

Morocco seems to have opted for austerity measures instead of a revision of its appropriation bill to offset the rise in public spending to contain the coronavirus outbreak. 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 […]

Finance Headlines Morocco

Coronavirus: World Bank redirects a $275-million loan to Morocco

The World Bank approved a first set of emergency support operations for developing countries around the world, using a dedicated, fast-track facility for COVID-19 (coronavirus) response. The first group of projects, amounting to $1.9 billion, will assist 25 countries, and new operations are moving forward in over 40 countries using the fast-track process, the international […]

Africa Finance Headlines International

COVID-19: African finance ministers seek IMF, World Bank and EU support on debt relief

African finance ministers have requested the support of the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and the European Union for bilateral, multilateral and commercial debt relief amid the coronavirus crisis.   The request was germinated from the second virtual meeting on Tuesday, hosted by Vera Songwe, Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa, and […]

Finance Headlines Maghreb Morocco

Moody’s underscores Morocco’s resilience to domestic and external shocks

Credit rating agency, Moody’s, highlighted Morocco’s resilience to domestic and external shocks despite coronavirus propelling fewer tourists and exports which it said will be offset by lower energy imports. It maintained Morocco’s credit profile at Ba1 stable reflecting “demonstrated resilience to domestic and external shocks,” and buoyed by access to relatively deep domestic capital markets. […]

Finance Headlines Maghreb Morocco

Morocco’s central bank increases three-fold banks refinancing capacity

The Central bank said it will intervene to ensure there is enough cash for banks through increasing three-fold their refinancing capacity in dirham and hard currency. The move comes as a lifeline for Moroccan banks to offset the financial repercussions of coronavirus and help them offer loans for enterprises and households, the central bank said […]

Africa Finance Headlines International

AfDB launches record breaking $3 billion “Fight COVID-19” Social Bond

As the Covid-19 outbreak is spreading quickly in Africa with nearly 3,000 infected people across 45 countries, placing strain on already fragile health systems, and dangerously threatening the continent’s economy, the African Development Bank Group is moving to provide flexible responses aimed at lessening the severe economic and social impact of this pandemic on its […]

Finance Headlines Maghreb Morocco

Coronavirus: Morocco to give Monthly payments to informal sector workers

Morocco said it will offer monthly payments to every head of a household who became unemployed due to the coronavirus lockdown which Morocco imposed from March 20 to April 20, the finance ministry said. The payments will be offered by the special fund, set up at the orders of King Mohammed VI to upgrade health […]

Europe Finance Headlines International Morocco

EU to redirect €450 mln to support Morocco’s response to Covid-19

The EU will redirect €450 million promised to Morocco this year to help the country better respond to the coronavirus outbreak.   The amount includes €150 million that will be injected directly in the special fund created by Morocco to fund health system acquisitions and offset the social and economic repercussion of the pandemic, according […]