Fawzy Lekjaa, the Minister Delegate to the Minister of Economy and Finance, in charge of the Budget, announced a reduction in the budget deficit and committed to continuing support for essential goods and regulating their prices.
In response to a written question from parliamentary advisor Khaled Al-Satti of the National Union of Labor in Morocco, Lekjaa highlighted that the first half of the government’s term saw significant achievements, marked by several important projects and measures.
According to the government official, the budget deficit decreased from 7.1% of GDP in 2020 to 4.3% in 2023, with a continued downward trend expected to stabilize at 3.9% of GDP in 2024.
He noted that this trend positively affected the debt-to-GDP ratio, which dropped to 69.5% in 2023 compared to 71.5% in 2022.
These results, according to Lekjaa, reflect the effectiveness of the national development strategy and the stability of public finances towards sustainability. This progress has been recognized and praised by international financial institutions, particularly the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, which expressed confidence in the future outlook for the government’s economic policy.
Lekjaa considered the positive momentum achieved through the management of public financial systems, particularly under the organic law of the finance law, focusing on increasing transparency, budget planning, and reinforcing accountability, which improved the evaluation of public expenditure and financial accountability (PEFA) published in 2024, compared to the versions from 2009 and 2016.
Regarding support for sectoral strategies and regional development plans, approximately 1,466,000 hectares have been mobilized to support sectoral plans, regional programs, and productive investment, aiming to complete nearly 1,900 projects, with about 770 hectares allocated to public administrations, primarily the Ministry of National Defense, followed by the Ministry of National Education, Pre-School, and Sports.
Concerning simplifying administrative procedures, Lekjaa mentioned that provisions of Law No. 55.19 related to simplifying administrative processes were activated, resulting in the formulation of 131 administrative decisions, 129 of which were approved by the National Committee for Simplifying Procedures and published on the national portal “Idārati,” while the remaining two are still being prepared for publication.
Lekjaa confirmed that the government continued its direct support for the transportation sector, and for the prices of butane gas, sugar, subsidized flour, imported soft wheat, as well as school books for elementary and middle school levels, with a suspension of customs duties on imports of grains, legumes, oils, milk, and imports of cattle and sheep, in addition to providing support for sheep imports.
He highlighted that the prices of regulated essential goods and services remained stable, except for the pricing of 220 medicines, a reduction in prices for 80 medications, and approval of 96 new tobacco products, along with price increases for 282 products due to the increase in the internal consumption tax.
The minister pledged to continue supporting essential goods, improving the governance of the compensation system, regulating the prices of goods and services, and monitoring market developments and their impact on purchasing power.
