Fuel Prices Remain High in Morocco Despite Global Market Stabilization

While the ton of diesel has stabilized at $715 (7,150 dirhams) and that of gasoline has fallen from $718 to $706 (7,180 to 7,060 dirhams) on the international market, fuel prices have remained high in Morocco. In the stations of Casablanca and Mohammedia, the liter of diesel is still at 11.50 dirhams, while that of gasoline has reached 13.50 dirhams, reports Barlamane.

This gap is, according to the same source, proof of the failure of the price liberalization process in force since 2015, estimates Elhoussine Elyamani, secretary general of the National Union of Oil and Gas. "Before the end of price control, the liter of diesel should not have exceeded 10.35 dirhams, and that of gasoline 11.37 dirhams," he said, noting that the measure seems to benefit distributors more than consumers. "The margins of the distributors have exploded, while the consumers continue to suffer from artificially high prices."

To put an end to this inflation of fuel prices that affects the daily life of Moroccans, the trade unionist calls on the Moroccan government and its Head, Aziz Akhannouch, to take urgent measures, such as the reduction of the tax burden on fuels and the relaunch of the Samir refinery.