Limitations of Resources and Real Estate Hinder Regional Development Programs: The Ministry of Interior Reveals Achievements and Challenges
The Minister of Interior, Abdelouafi Laftit, presented the results of the implementation of regional development programs across various regions of the Kingdom, noting that these programs face key challenges that threaten their operation and progress, primarily the limited financial resources and difficulties in securing the necessary land for projects.
This was stated in response to a parliamentary written question regarding the status of the implementation of the twelve regional development programs, their achievement rates, and the obstacles facing them.
Common Constraints: Finance, Real Estate, and Partner Commitment
The Minister confirmed that the constraints hindering the implementation of several programs are largely shared among most regions and focus on three main areas:
- Limited financial capacities of the regions, impacting their ability to meet all commitments.
- Lack of commitment from certain partnering sectors to provide their financial contributions fully and timely.
- Issues related to providing suitable real estate and the slow approval process for partnership agreements from some government parties.
Disparities in Achievement Rates Among Regions
The data provided by the ministry revealed significant disparities in the size of programs and their progress rates across regions:
- Casablanca-Settat: Leads the list in terms of the total cost of the program (47.2 billion dirhams), with 393 approved agreements.
- Rabat-Salé-Kénitra: The total contracting rate for projects reached 83%, with 20 projects fully completed by May 2025.
- Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima: Contracts have been signed for 70% of planned projects, though the Minister pointed out that the issue of mobilizing real estate remains a significant barrier.
- Beni Mellal-Khénifra: Progress has reached about 32%, prioritizing drinking water, employment, health, and education projects.
- Dakhla-Oued Edhahab: Exhibited a high overall progress rate of approximately 65%, thanks to efforts to expedite contract signing and enhance monitoring mechanisms.
- Fez-Meknes: Laftit noted that 43% of projects are either completed or underway, though they face challenges in completing projects within the council’s mandate period.
The Minister explained that some regions, like Souss-Massa, face additional challenges, including a shortage of human resources and the incomplete implementation of the administrative decentralization workshop.
Measures to Overcome Obstacles
To address these constraints, regions are turning to practical solutions such as:
- Resorting to borrowing to finance the region’s contribution to the program, as in the case of Souss-Massa.
- Signing framework agreements or special contracts to mobilize partners’ contributions.
- Establishing regional and local development companies to implement projects, as done by Souss-Massa and Dakhla-Oued Edhahab.
- Utilizing self-funding to implement some priority projects, as observed in the Eastern region.
The Minister called for the need to accelerate the signing of contracts and enhance coordination among various partners to overcome difficulties and ensure the achievement of the desired developmental objectives of these ambitious programs.
