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Rabat – With the holy month of Ramadan having ended, Morocco will return to daylight saving time (GMT+1) on Sunday, April 22, at 2 am. The Moroccan Ministry of Digital Transition and Administration announced the news prior to Ramadan.
This means that Moroccans and residents in Morocco will need to adjust their clocks by adding one hour from GMT to GMT+1.
Each year, Morocco suspends Daylight Saving Time (GMT+1) exclusively for Ramadan as it affects the fasting time. After the holy month ends, the country switches back to GMT+1.
Morocco officially adopted Daylight Saving Time (DST) throughout the year after issuing Article 2 of Law 2.18.855 in October 2018. Previously, DST was only observed during the summer months.
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DST involves adjusting the clock forward by 60 minutes during warmer months so that darkness falls later in the day. The primary objective of this practice is to conserve energy and reduce electricity consumption by taking advantage of the extended daylight hours in the summer.
The Moroccan government justified its decision to permanently adopt DST with the need to strengthen the competitiveness of the national economy by reducing energy consumption.
In addition, the government said the move will cut the time difference between Morocco and its trading partners, notably in Europe.
However, the government’s decision has caused widespread outrage among Moroccans, especially students, who argued that its negative effects outweigh any potential advantages.
Critics of the DST have argued that it disrupts sleeping schedules, leading to fatigue and reduced productivity. They also said it causes confusion as many fear being late for work or school when switching back to GMT+1.
But many have argued against the assumption that DST saves energy, saying that students and workers having to wake up before sunrise during winter leads to more electricity consumption.
