In Morocco, families in financial difficulty will receive, from Thursday, December 28, the first allowances in the country’s history. The announcement made by the government of Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch last October therefore comes into force at the end of 2023, and these payments come at the right time after several years of inflation and economic crisis.
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With our correspondent in Rabat, Victor Mauriat
Starting Thursday, December 28, more than a million Moroccan citizens will receive a minimum aid of 500 dirhams per month, which represents approximately 48 euros. This aid can then increase depending on the number of children or elderly dependents: a family with three children will receive 57 euros per month from the State.
Between the galloping inflation affecting the country, an unemployment rate of 13% and strong economic disparities, the Moroccan economy has been heavily marked by the Covid-19 crises and the war in Ukraine in recent years. So, this program of “ social shield », as described by Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch and desired for several years by King Mohammed VI, is intended to be a shield against the economic and social misery from which many Moroccans suffer.
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While the average salary in the country is 360 euros, this social assistance was expected by the unions and many political parties, and is part of the continuation of the generalization of public health coverage to 10 million households started in 2021.
Until then, social aid was indirect and involved subsidies from the Moroccan state for certain consumer products, through a compensation fund. This should also be reformed to target disadvantaged populations. But the timetable for this review has not yet been announced.
(And with AFP)