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Morocco confirmed today a government reshuffle, with King Mohammed VI receiving at the royal palace in Rabat the newly appointed ministers during a formal reception.
The reshuffle follows days of speculation regarding potential changes within Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch’s cabinet.
The new government shows that several ministers will retain their current positions, including Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Bourita, Abdelouafi Laftit as Interior Minister, and Ahmed Toufiq as Minister of Islamic Affairs.
The list also shows Minister of Economy Nadia Fettah Alaoui keeping her position as well as Minister of Equipment Nizar Baraka, and Mustapha Baitas Minister as spokesperson of the government.
New names in Akhannouch’s reshuffled government will include Mohamed Saad Berrada, who will replace Chakib Benmoussa as the new Minister of Education.
Amine Tahraoui will replace Khalid Ait Taleb as Minister of Health while Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri will maintain her position as Minister of Urbanism and Planning.
Ahmed Bouari will replace Mohamed Sadiki as Minister of Agriculture, while Azzedine El Midaoui will replace Abdellatif Miraoui as Minister of Higher Education.
Abdessamad Kayouh will take on the Ministry of Transport and Logistics while Naima Ben Yahia will replace Aawatif Hayar as Minister of Solidarity and Family.
Karim Zidane will be Morocco’s Minister in charge of Investment, while Amal El Fallah Seghrouchni will be Morocco’s minister Delegate to the Head of Government in Charge of Digital Transition to replace Ghita Mezzour.
Zakia Driouich will serve as State Secretary along with Omar Hejira, Adib Benbrahim Hicham Sabiry, Lahcen Essaadi, and Abdeljebbar Rachidi.
The reshuffle comes amid widespread criticism against the Akhannouch government from various sectors, including the opposition.
Critics, including the Justice and Development Party, have frequently described Akhannouch’s government as weak.
PJD recently criticized Akhannouch’s cabinet and the delay in implementing the rebuilding for areas devastated by the Al Haouz earthquake last year.
PJD said in September that the government failed to fulfill the rehabilitation program despite the “availability of sufficient financial resources, a significant portion of which was collected through the solidarity campaign that showcased the high level of Moroccan national and charitable response to the royal directives.”
For PJD, this situation shows the government’s “inability to effectively and swiftly implement the program” due to its “inexplicable delay in fully activating the Agency for the Development of the High Atlas.”
Morocco’s opposition party Popular Movement also criticized the Akhannouch government.
In 2022, the president of the party’s parliamentary group at the Moroccan House of Representatives said: “This government is weak and fails to listen to their citizens’ demands.”
He argued that the Akhannouch-led government has been reluctant to address popular demands to reduce fuel prices “because they can no longer face the high cost of living.”
