Morocco’s Economic Council Unveils Post-COVID Recovery Plan

Faced with the heavy consequences of the coronavirus, the CESE has just published a study on "the health, economic and social impacts of the Covid-19 virus and possible levers of action", reports La Map. In a press release, the institution said that this study is part of a dual dynamic, marked by the need to deal with the health crisis and its repercussions on the one hand, and the need to put in place a renewed development model for Morocco on the other.

First, the CESE indicated that "the impacts of the health crisis, despite the significant measures taken within the framework of the state of health emergency or those announced so far to curb the pandemic, remain deep and multidimensional, affecting the economic dynamics and living conditions of the population as well as the quality and efficiency of public services." However, it emphasizes, "this trying period has allowed the kingdom to prove "the potentials it holds thanks to the responsiveness and mobilization of the public authorities, the flexibility of certain productive sectors, the spirit of solidarity shown by citizens and Morocco’s adherence to the digital transformation process."

According to the Council, the country must seize this crisis as "a real opportunity to bring about a radical transformation of the prevailing mentalities and modes of thinking, organization, management, production and consumption." In this sense, it proposes a set of major levers of transformation and recommendations of a gradual and cumulative dimension, to achieve three main strategic objectives.

The first strategy plans to strengthen Morocco’s resilience to disruptions and its ability to coexist with the Covid-19 virus. Then, to revive the national economy, by encouraging companies to gain in competitiveness and create jobs, while ensuring to follow the changes produced by the crisis, in a way to seize the opportunities resulting from the reconfiguration of global value chains. As a last resort, the Council recommends "putting Morocco on the rails of a new development process by addressing the shortcomings and weaknesses of our current development model." To achieve this, it requires an "acceleration of the reforms and restructuring measures necessary for the emergence of a prosperous Morocco in a sustainable, more inclusive, solidary and resilient manner in the face of change."

In total, this CESE study provides 149 recommendations organized around 7 main axes, aimed at strengthening Morocco’s ability to anticipate and adapt to transformations with full flexibility.