Morocco’s Government Formation Stalls: Foreign Affairs Post Delays State Secretary Appointments

A "pitched battle around the state secretariat for Foreign Affairs is delaying the appointment of the state secretaries intended to reinforce Aziz Akhannouch’s Executive," reports the site Africa Intelligence, however noting that the names of the state secretaries for the Interior and Communication, "two ultra-sensitive portfolios," would have already been validated.

To read: Morocco’s New PM Akhannouch Pledges Competent Cabinet as Coalition Takes Shape

The lack of cohesion within the government majority would also be at the root of this situation. The members of the Istiqlal party would not be able to agree on the names to propose for these positions. A similar situation at the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) where the party’s secretary general and current Minister of Justice, Abdellatif Ouahbi, would not have supported the appointment of certain party cadres to these positions.

For three months now, the Akhannouch government has been operating without a state secretary. "State secretaries will be appointed in certain ministerial departments at a later date," the Royal Cabinet had indicated in its October 7 press release announcing the appointment of the new government members.