Moroccan Banking Disputes Surge: Mediation Offers Alternative to Court Battles

What better than to avoid going to court in disputes with banking institutions. For this, the only alternative is banking mediation which "allows an opening of amicable dispute resolution before judicial entanglement", writes L’Économiste, who recommends involving consumer protection associations in this process.

No less than 1,200 cases of bank/client disputes were handled in 2018 by the Moroccan Center for Banking Mediation (CMMB). More than 80% of the files were successful, including 20% related to accounts and 20% to non-performing loans. Casablanca accounts for 50% of the contentious files while Rabat and Tangier share 30%.

However, the daily raises the low use of banking mediation by Moroccans, unlike other countries where it remains the first solution in conflicts with banking institutions. It allows "to speed up the settlement of disputes, simplify the formalities, and even often adjust the dominant position of banks vis-à-vis their clients," adds the daily.