Morocco’s Economy Faces Potential Crisis as COVID-19 Surge Raises Lockdown Fears

Could the Moroccan economy withstand another lockdown? Can the special covid-19 fund be replenished accordingly to assist families again reduced to a minimum, and suffering the effects of the health crisis? These questions are troubling the minds of many citizens, especially during this period marked by the celebration of Eid al-Adha, the summer season and the preparations for the next school year.

For the Minister of Finance, Mohamed Benchaâboun, with an economy down 8% by the end of the year, it is not advisable to embark on a new lockdown.

But in view of the worrying epidemiological situation, the Minister of Health, during a press conference held on Monday, fears that confinement may eventually be imposed. "In the space of one week, the toll of contamination cases has exceeded that recorded in four months in Morocco," he said.

According to economist Najib Akesbi, Morocco’s "ambiguous" epidemiological situation is attributable to the Moroccan government, whose management of the health crisis, made of "improvisation, confusion, and sometimes contradiction between government members," leaves much to be desired.

According to the academic, the government, by reducing investments and budget employment positions, would only "aggravate the economic recession" and develop "an austerity policy" rather than an economic recovery.

Regarding the decision to ban travel to and from several cities, including Casablanca and Marrakech, in effect since Sunday at midnight, Akesbi believes that it is nothing less than a "re-confinement", just a few days before the celebration of Eid Al Adha.