HM King Mohammed VI Chairs Council of Ministers

Here follows the translation of the statement:

"His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist Him, chaired, on Friday, October 18, 2024, corresponding to Rabii II 14, 1446 of the Hegira, at the Royal Palace in Rabat, a council of ministers, focused on examining the general orientations of the draft Finance Bill for 2025, and approving draft decrees relating to the military field, as well as several international agreements and appointments to senior positions.

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, the broad lines of the draft Finance Bill for 2025.

The Minister said that this draft was prepared in a difficult international context, marked by the ongoing geopolitical tensions and accentuating climate crises.

Nevertheless, Morocco has managed, under the clear-sighted leadership of His Majesty the King, may God preserve Him, to advance economic and social reforms, while preserving the sustainability of macroeconomic balances, with growth expected to reach 3.3 in 2024.

The Minister added that the draft revolves around four priorities, each constituting a lever for strengthening social cohesion, safeguarding economic sovereignty, and creating the foundation for future generations' development.

- Firstly: Further reinforcing the pillars of the social state, particularly through the harmonious and effective implementation of the social protection generalization project. After the generalization of compulsory basic health insurance, the implementation of the direct social aid, which has benefited about four million families, will be completed, in parallel with the ongoing health system reform.

The roadmap for education system reform and social dialogue support will also be further implemented, in addition to the various projects that fall within the framework of the general reconstruction and rehabilitation program for areas affected by the Al Haouz earthquake and the floods in the Southeast of the Kingdom.

- Secondly: Consolidating the investment and job-creation momentum in line with the High Royal Instructions, by stimulating private investment and implementing the Investment Charter, with a focus on accelerating the process of approving investment projects, and continuously improving the business climate.

Public investment will also be stimulated and ongoing structural projects will be further implemented, notably the "Green Generation" strategy, the projects related to the green hydrogen sector, transition to clean energy and the roadmap for the tourism sector, while ensuring that water resources management is a top priority, accelerating the implementation of the National Drinking Water Supply and Irrigation Program, and giving special importance to the large-scale projects related to preparations to host the 2030 World Cup.

In parallel, a concrete roadmap for employment promotion will be implemented, according to an integrated and multidimensional approach, aiming to stimulate investment momentum, notably in the sectors with the greatest impact in terms of job creation. It is also meant to strengthen support for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, to increase the impact of active employment programs and to mitigate the repercussions of drought on employment in rural areas.

- Thirdly: Further implementing structural reforms, notably the judiciary reform by completing its legislative and regulatory frameworks, generalizing family courts and modernizing the judicial administration and its digital transformation.

Further implementing advanced regionalization and public institutions and enterprises' reform, particularly by implementing the strategic orientations of the state's contribution policy.

The organic law on the Finance Bill will be reformed, while the law on tax reform will be further implemented.

- Fourthly: Maintaining the sustainability of public finances, by taking the necessary measures to ensure the gradual restoration of financial balances and the necessary funding for scheduled projects, while reducing the budget deficit and restoring the necessary financial margins to address potential future risks and crises.

The Minister noted that the general orientations of the draft Finance Bill aim to enhance the impact of the adopted strategies on our country's development, and to achieve a strong economic recovery, with a growth rate of 4.6% in 2025, and a limited inflation rate at 2%.

Following approval by the Council of Ministers of the general guidelines of the draft Finance Bill for 2025, seven draft decrees relating to the military field were adopted.

These are draft decrees amending the decrees laying down the conditions for implementing the provisions of the special status of Auxiliary Forces personnel, the special status of Civil Protection personnel and doctors working for the General Directorate of Civil Protection and its external services, the salaries of military personnel on monthly pay from the Royal Armed Forces (FAR), and the pay, food and travel expenses of military personnel on special progressive pay from the FAR.

These four drafts, part of the special attention paid by His Majesty the King, Supreme Commander and Chief of the General Staff of the FAR, to promote the social and material conditions of these Forces, aim to increase the salaries of members of the Auxiliary Forces, the Civil Protection, the Royal Armed Forces and the Royal Gendarmerie, in line with the increases decided for all civil servants as part of the social dialogue.

The other three draft decrees relate to the use of cloud service providers by entities or infrastructures of vital importance with sensitive information systems or sensitive data, as well as to the organization and operation of Royal Armed Forces hospital units and the dispatch allowance for certain military personnel.

In a bid to strengthen ties between Morocco and several brotherly and friendly countries, consolidate the kingdom's positioning and implement its continental and international commitments, the Council of Ministers adopted nineteen international agreements, including sixteen bilateral and three multilateral agreements.

The bilateral agreements aim to mutually promote and protect investments, strengthen cooperation in the fields of justice, fisheries, tourism, mutual administrative assistance in customs matters, international road transport and air services.

Among these international agreements, thirteen are scheduled with six African countries as part of the joint Commissions held in Dakhla, in the Moroccan Sahara.

The multilateral agreements concern the establishment of a permanent headquarters for the Pan-African Institute for Development in Dakhla, the facilities and benefits of the North Africa Regional Office and the National Office of the Francophone University Agency in Morocco, and the agreement relating to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea concerning the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction.

In accordance with the provisions of Article 49 of the Constitution, and at the proposal of the Head of Government and on the initiative of the Minister of the Interior, HM the King has kindly appointed a number of Walis and Governors to the Central and Territorial Administration.

These are:

- Mouaad Jamai, Wali of the Fez-Meknes region, Governor of the Prefecture of Fez.

- Khatib El Hebil, Wali of the Oriental region, Governor of the Prefecture of Oujda-Angad.

- Essaid Zniber, Wali of the Drâa-Tafilalet region, Governor of the Province of Errachidia.

- Mohamed Benribag, Wali of the Beni Mellal-Khénifra region, Governor of the Province of Beni Mellal.

- Mhamed Atfaoui, Governor of the Province of El Jadida.

- Mustapha Ennouhi, Governor of the Prefecture of Skhirate-Temara.

- Abdelhamid El Mazid, Governor of the Province of Kenitra.

- Mohammed Fettah, Governor of the Province of Safi.

- Mabrouk Tabet, Governor of the Province of Taroudant.

- Mohamed Samir El Khamlichi, Governor of the Province of Moulay Yacoub.

- Abderrahmane El Jaouhari, Governor of the Province of Tiznit.

- Chakib Belkaid, Governance of the Province of Jerada.

- El Hassan Benkhayi, Governor of the Province of Azilal.

- Abdallah Chater, Governor of the Province of Tan Tan.

- Mohammed Rochdy, Governor of the Province of Aousserd.

- Abdelhak Hamdaoui, Provincial Governor of the Al Fida-Mers Sultan District.

- Abdellatif Ennahli, Governor of the Province of Khemisset.

- Jalal Benhayoun, Governor of the Province of Nouaceur.

- Driss Misbah, Governor of the Province of Ifrane.

- Allal El Baz, Governor of the Province of Boulemane.

- Badr Boussif, Governor of the Province of Taourirt.

- Abdeslam El Hattach, Governor of the Province of Guercif.

- Abdeslam Frindou, Governor of the Province of Driouch.

- Mohammed Adil Ihourane, Governor of the Province of Khenifra.

- Driss Rubio, Governor of the Province of Sidi Slimane.

- Abdelwahab Fadhil, Governor of the Province of Midelt.

- Ibrahim Boutoumilate, Governor of the Province of Es-Semara

- Mohamed Taouss, Governor of the Ain-Sebaâ-Hay Mohammadi District.

And in the Central Administration, His Majesty the King has kindly appointed :

- Jelloul Samsseme, Wali, Director General of Local Authorities.

- Hassan Mzerma, Governor, Director of Rural Affairs.

On the proposal of the Head of Government, and on the initiative of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, HM the King has appointed several ambassadors to several brotherly and friendly countries.

These are :

- Othman El Ferdaous, Ambassador to the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire;

- Abdelkader El Jamoussi, Ambassador to the Republic of Cameroon;

- Mustapha El Alami Fellousse, Ambassador to the Central African Republic;

- Najoua El Berrak, Ambassador to the Republic of Congo.

- Mohammed Iboumraten, Ambassador to the Republic of Niger;

- Ahmed Rida Chami, Ambassador to the European Union;

- Fatiha Ayadi, Ambassador to Denmark;

- Omar Amghar, Ambassador to the Republic of Serbia;

- Redouane Adghoghi, Ambassador to the Republic of Bulgaria;

- Majid Halim, Ambassador to Malaysia;

- Redouane Houssaini, Ambassador to the Republic of Indonesia;

-Boutaina El Kerdoudi, Ambassador to the Republic of Bangladesh;

-Younes Dirhoussi, Ambassador to Saint Lucia.

On the proposal of the Head of Government, and on the initiative of the Minister of Economy and Finance, HM the King has appointed:

- Nouaman Al Aissami, Director of the Solidarity Fund against Catastrophic Events.

And on the proposal of the Head of Government and on the initiative of the Minister of Health and Social Protection, His Majesty the King, may God preserve Him, has kindly appointed :

- Mustapha Aboumaarouf, President of the High Health Authority;

- Samir Ahid, Director of the Moroccan Agency for Medicines and Health Products;

- Kamal Doghmi, Director of the Moroccan Agency for Blood and Its Derivatives.

On the proposal of the Head of Government and on the initiative of the Minister of Youth, Culture and Communication, His Majesty the King has kindly appointed :

- Latifa Moftaqir, Director of the Moroccan Archives.

- Rahal Boubrik, Director of the Royal Institute for Research on the History of Morocco.

And on the proposal of the Head of Government and on the initiative of the Minister Delegate to the Minister of the Economy and Finance in charge of the Budget, His Majesty the King has kindly appointed :

- Said Laith, Director General of the High Atlas Development Agency.

- Wafâa Jemali, Managing Director of the National Social Support Agency.