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Rabat – Morocco’s government is set to launch a new program to tackle unemployment in rural areas, allocating MAD 1 billion ($100 million) to support job seekers outside big cities.
Minister of Economic Inclusion Younes Sekkouri announced the initiative to Parliament on Tuesday, saying that the government has been developing the plan for the past five months.
The program, expected to roll out in the coming days, seeks to provide direct assistance to those struggling to find employment in remote regions.
The 2025 Finance Bill sets aside MAD 14 billion ($1.4 billion) for employment initiatives, signaling the government’s broader effort to reduce unemployment.
Sekkouri acknowledged that ANAPEC, Morocco’s national employment agency, cannot accommodate all job seekers, so other solutions are necessary.
With only 600 staff members and 70 offices, the agency does not have a strong presence outside cities. Hence, the minister said that support is essential for those without formal qualifications, pointing out that among the country’s 1.6 million job seekers, about 910,000 have no diplomas.
He also mentioned the role of small and medium-sized businesses, which employ around 75% of Morocco’s workforce. While past policies did not fully recognize their contribution, the government now sees them as key to job creation.
A significant share of the MAD 12 billion ($1.2 billion) investment budget will go to these businesses. Another MAD 1 billion ($100 million) will support rural development, especially for livestock farmers who have sold their herds and left their villages.
The government hopes to reverse this trend by creating better economic opportunities in rural areas.
Despite these efforts, unemployment still prevails, especially in rural areas where opportunities remain scarce.
The planned reforms and funding may offer some relief, but they do not go far enough to address the scale of the crisis. Millions, particularly those without diplomas, continue to struggle to find stable work, leaving many in dire search of stronger and more lasting solutions.
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