Morocco rolls out $21bn plan to narrow development gaps

Morocco has approved $21bn in territorial development programmes to improve public services and reduce disparities, Moroccan government-friendly Yabiladi reported on 8 April, in a move that could help shape long-term investment across the country.

The government approved funding worth around 210 billion dirhams for the programmes over an eight-year period, Assahifa reported, marking one of the largest investments of its kind in recent years.

The plans are part of a broader push to strengthen decentralisation and rebalance development across the country. They focus on improving infrastructure and access to services, while supporting local jobs and businesses to help narrow gaps between urban and rural areas.

Funding is expected to support transport networks, healthcare and education facilities, alongside projects intended to boost local economies.

Programmes will also cover basic infrastructure and service delivery, with a focus on improving connectivity and access in areas that have lagged behind.

Local authorities will take a leading role in planning and implementation, with greater control over how projects are delivered, identifying priorities and overseeing delivery on the ground. The programmes will require coordination between central and local bodies to ensure they are carried out effectively.

The initiative follows Morocco’s decentralisation reforms, which have gradually expanded the responsibilities of local authorities in economic and social planning.

Previous reforms have been presented as a way to address uneven development across the country, including gaps in infrastructure and access to services between urban and rural areas, with the new programmes building on those efforts.

Morocco has increased investment in infrastructure and public services in recent years, particularly in less developed areas. The International Monetary Fund has noted a rise in public investment, with plans extending through the end of the decade. These efforts form part of wider programmes aimed at improving services and reducing disparities across the country.

Yabiladi, Assahifa, IMF, Maghrebi.org