The House of Representatives approves the establishment of regional agencies for urban planning and housing
The House of Representatives voted yesterday, during a public session, in favor of Bill No. 64.23 concerning the establishment of regional agencies for urban planning and housing, presented by Adib Benbrahim, the Secretary of State to the Minister of National Planning, Urban Development, Housing, and City Policy in charge of housing.
A statement from the ministry clarified that this bill is part of the implementation of royal directives mentioned in the Throne Speech on July 29, 2020, where King Mohammed VI emphasized the need to expedite deep reforms in the public sector and address the structural imbalances in public institutions and enterprises, achieving integration and coherence in their tasks.
The same source added that this initiative also aligns with the outcomes of the working session chaired by the King on October 17, 2023, focused on the urban planning and housing sector, particularly regarding the establishment of 12 regional agencies for urban planning and housing, as well as implementing the recommendations from the national dialogue on urban planning and housing and the observations of the Court of Auditors regarding the repositioning of urban agencies.
During the presentation of the bill, the Secretary of State in charge of housing affirmed that this legislation is part of Morocco’s commitment to deep reforms aimed at territorializing public policies, modernizing administration, activating advanced regionalism, ensuring coherence in territorial programs and projects, in addition to enhancing proximity and accelerating the study and monitoring of projects.
Benbrahim indicated that the bill aims to empower regional agencies to develop a vision for territorial planning at a regional level, while redefining their responsibilities to consider the specificities of urban and rural areas.
He also highlighted that the text establishes modern governance by creating effective boards of directors, defining clear executive powers, and adopting mechanisms for monitoring and evaluation, alongside giving special importance to human resources through the unification of legal statuses and ensuring acquired rights.
The government official stressed that the bill generally aims to enable regional areas and relevant actors to have coherent public regional institutions with a strategic dimension, capable of supporting the advanced regionalization initiative and accompanying public policies in urban planning and housing, fostering sustainable and integrated territorial dynamics.
