Morocco’s Restaurant Closures Threaten 2 Million Jobs, Industry Leaders Say Measures Insufficient

"The measures announced by the government are not enough," comments Sghir Bougrine, CEO of the Venezia Group. In total, 600 people work for the group in its 2 factories and its cafes throughout Morocco; 300 to 400 employees are employed in its franchises. For all the professionals in the sector, the measures announced by the Moroccan authorities such as the moratorium on loans and suspended social security contributions for tourism and textiles are "insufficient".

"We are in favor of this closure decision for the general interest in order to prevent the spread of the virus, but we must also think about the employees and the companies," said Mohamed Abdelfadl, vice-president of the National Association of Cafe and Restaurant Owners in Morocco (ANPCRM), also coordinator of a crisis cell, made up of 3 commissions (communication, analysis/listening and PR). According to him, "the social repercussions of such a measure are heavy".

The ban on wedding parties and events of more than 50 people has caused caterers to lose markets. Many are financially committed to large events that have been canceled at the last minute (such as SIAM, Marocotel...). In addition to caterers, the professions of waiter, counter agent, bartender, security guard, surface technician, valet... are also affected. In Casablanca, the number of cafes/restaurants is estimated at 30,000, half of which are in the informal sector.

Faced with this situation, professionals are calling on the government to take specific measures, including the rescheduling of tax deadlines and the freezing of local taxes. Pending these actions, the ANPCRM is involved in solidarity actions to support those in precarious situations.