Morocco Doubles Budget Positions to Boost Youth Employment in 2021

During the examination of the 2020 supplementary finance bill by the Finance and Economic Development Committee of the first chamber of parliament, Minister Benchaaboun stated that the ministerial departments will have 44,000 budget positions for the 2020 budget until June 30, 2021.

In the national education sector, spending will be reduced by 877 million dirhams, due to the delay observed in the technical studies of certain projects, says Benchaaboun, who adds that the investments announced for this sector will be used to improve the school supply and to rehabilitate or build new educational establishments.

Regarding higher education, a reduction of 300 million dirhams in the investment budget is announced. The planned investment credits will make it possible to honor the commitments of the sector, in particular the six university establishment projects in the cities of Al Hoceïma, Ksar El Kebir, Tétouan and Kenitra, as well as the continuation of the construction work of three faculties of medicine and pharmacy in the cities of Tangier, Agadir and Laâyoune.

Minister Benchaaboun also recalled the measures taken by the government as part of the management of the health crisis, in order to preserve the health of citizens on the one hand and jobs in companies severely affected on the other. In this regard, he indicated that an amount of 15 billion dirhams (MMDH) will be devoted to supporting companies and promoting employment.

The 2020 supplementary finance bill, he points out, is in line with the economic and social choices made in the finance law, specifying that the investment expenditure commitments in the social sectors will continue.

Furthermore, priority programs will be launched to deal with the drought, announces the minister. This involves taking urgent measures to ensure the supply of drinking water to the populations of areas suffering from water stress, for an investment of nearly 800 million dirhams.

National companies and national products will be given priority in the context of public procurement, said the minister, who specifies that the 2020 supplementary finance bill aims to support the resumption of economic activity and preserve employment.

According to him, the impact of the health crisis on the economic activities of the kingdom would gradually decrease, from the 3rd and 4th quarters, with the gradual lifting of containment.

For the minister, the national economy should experience growth of -5%, and a strengthening of the budget deficit up to 7.5% of GDP.