Morocco officially records 22,213 cases of Coronavirus-infected and a total of 334 deaths, with a sharp increase in daily contamination since the relaxation of severe containment measures. To alleviate the effects of COVID-19 that have revealed “deficiencies” in the social structure, the king of Morocco announced last week the launch of an “ambitious plan for economic revival“, which translates into an injection of 120 billion dirhams (11 billion euros) into the Moroccan economy (equivalent to 11% of GDP).
A large number of families have been thrown into poverty due to the economic effects of the health crisis, along with severe drought. Morocco is expected to experience its worst recession since 1996 in 2020, with a contraction of more than 5% of its GDP, due to the pandemic and low agricultural yield, according to the Central Bank of Morocco. That’s why on the eve of Morocco’s national holiday “the feast of the throne”, all Moroccans were glued to the televisions waiting for the monarch’s speech. In a country that has lost interest in politics: “the figure of the increasingly worn political representatives”; as on the big occasions, the people only looked at the sign coming from the palace to merge with optimism and hope. So it was, in the middle of a speech, I jumped the announcement: “Thetime hascome to launch, in the next five years, the process of generalizing social coverage for the benefit of all Moroccans; This project requires rigorous reform of social systems and programs.”
This project will be implemented from January 2021 with the”generalization of compulsory health insurance and family allowances” will also extend to “retirement and compensation for job loss”. the pandemic crisis has revealed a number of shortcomings,in particular the weakness of social networks for the weakest sectors of the population.
Morocco with this orientation, is proving that it has vision and has a project. An important economic injection for small and medium-sized businesses and freelancers, a social mattress for the whole population. Our southern neighbor has chosen inclusive exit, a social plan to “leave no one behind”. And if this plan has the seal of the country’s Highest Authority, that means it will go the right way.
