Rabat – Morocco’s parliament met Friday, April 16 to discuss anti-corruption bill 12.18 which expands the powers of the National Commission for Integrity, Prevention, and Fight Against Corruption (INPPLC).
The bill falls under the authority of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (CNAC) which outlined a 10-year plan for stopping corruption in the kingdom.
The amendments will extend the oversight and supervisory functions of the INPPLC by granting the commission autonomy. As an autonomous entity, the INPPLC will have the power to investigate corruption and publically prosecute. Also, the bill seeks to redefine corruption by adding conflicts of interest and misuse of public funds into the legal framework of the definition.
However, the bill does not include new strategies for stopping corruption.
Currently, regulatory bodies are limited in jurisdiction over cases of corruption at state and local levels and must seek approval from parliament to investigate. The government seeks to fulfill its goals for the CNAC and proponents of the bill view it as a vessel for achieving the 10-year timeline.
The passing of the bill comes with great hesitation as policymakers debate adding more anti-corruption measures into the bill. Other parliamentarians fear the bill oversteps judicial powers.
Parliament has met multiple times to examine the bill since it’s initial proposal in December 2020.
Moroccans continue to call upon the government to stress the severity of corruption and its existence at all levels. In 2018, Head of Government Saad Eddine El Othmani stated that corruption wastes nearly 7% of Morocco’s GDP annually.
The bill has not made an impact on Morocco’s rank in Amnesty International’s corruption index nor the Global Integrity index ranking.
Morocco began its anti-corruption campaign in 2016 by drafting the National Anti-Corruption Strategy which was the predecessor to the CNAC. However, both bodies did not actively combat corruption but rather served as a foundation for future anti-corruption strategizing in Morocco.
The bill is tasked with monitoring public sectors such as justice, administration, security, and health and the INPPLC will become the primary institution in Morocco’s anti-corruption campaign.
Stopping corruption in all sectors remains a top priority for Morocco, although many policymakers are skeptical of the new bill, claiming the implementation of the outlined strategies is difficult in the current system.
Parliament will convene on Monday, April 19, to vote on the bill.
