Morocco Launches Crackdown on Begging Amid Tourism Concerns

Abdelouafi Laftit wants to put an end to begging. He has called on governors to step up their fight against this phenomenon that tarnishes Morocco’s image on the international stage, reports the Arabic-language daily Al Akhbar. Each summer, the high season is an opportunity for beggars to appeal to the millions of tourists visiting the kingdom. Among these beggars are people whose conditions do not justify resorting to this practice, which, according to Nouzha Skalli, former Minister of Social Development, generates several billion dirhams each year.

Recalling the efforts made in recent years by the various services concerned to eradicate begging, the Minister of the Interior said that more than 14,300 cases related to the practice were recorded by the end of May 2023, and that more than 15,900 people were arrested in five of the country’s largest cities: Casablanca, Marrakech, Fez, Tangier and Agadir. Despite these efforts, the phenomenon persists. Yet it is punishable by one month to three years in prison. The harshest sentences are imposed on those who use tricks or violence to solicit the charity of others.