Casablanca’s Cosmetic Makeover Sparks Controversy Ahead of Royal Visit

Political and civil society actors see these initiatives as a way to cover up the state of degradation of the roads strewn with potholes and not lit. Some elected officials and actors have also criticized the management of the contracts related to the construction of infrastructure, calling for an independent and transparent investigation into how the allocated funds are spent in order to ensure compliance with quality standards and to identify responsibilities.

Local observers believe that the economic capital of Morocco needs an integrated strategic vision, consistent with its demographic and urban development. The ongoing work in Casablanca is nothing more than a "hasty patching campaign" aimed at giving an "artificial" image of the city on the occasion of King Mohammed VI’s visit, lamented a local political actor.

The latter stated that these sporadic initiatives are simple "aesthetic operations" whose objective is to hide the reality. Certainly, the ongoing work does not harm the aesthetics of the city, but it goes against the interests of citizens who suffer daily on these dilapidated roads, calling for transparency in the management of public contracts and accountability.