Rabat – Morocco’s Direct Social Support program is gradually taking shape as more than a financial assistance mechanism.
Through the National Agency for Social Support (ANSS), the government is laying out a long-term vision that seeks to turn direct aid into a tool for social mobility, territorial development, and sustainable integration.
Since its creation, the ANSS has worked to turn Morocco’s social vision into concrete action, with programs designed to address poverty, reduce social inequalities, and support human development, while positioning the country among the leading actors in social coverage across the MENA region.
At the heart of this effort is the agency’s flagship conditional cash transfer scheme, which targets poor and vulnerable households, particularly families with children. Today, the program reaches nearly four million households, benefiting more than 12 million people, around one-third of Morocco’s population.
In a detailed written response to a parliamentary question from MP Soukaina Lahmouch of the Haraki Group, the government outlined the pillars of this evolving approach, shedding light on how the program is being designed to move beyond emergency relief and into a broader development framework.
From financial aid to territorial development
At the core of the ANSS strategy is a shift in how social support is conceived. Rather than functioning solely as a system of cash transfers, the program is intended to act as a catalyst for integrated territorial development.
This shift is reflected in the agency’s emphasis on a proximity-based policy that combines human and geographic dimensions.
The aim is to ensure that assistance responds to the realities of different regions while remaining closely connected to the lived conditions of beneficiary families.
Territorial representations and social accompaniment
A key component of this approach is the creation of territorial representations of the ANSS, staffed by social facilitators.
These teams are tasked with engaging directly with beneficiary households, assessing their situations, and providing tailored accompaniment.
Their role extends beyond administrative follow-up. Social facilitators are expected to support families in reducing vulnerability and navigating a gradual, sustainable exit from poverty and precarity. This accompaniment is designed to culminate in more stable economic and social integration.
Several of these territorial representations have already been launched as pilot initiatives. According to the government, they will be closely evaluated before any nationwide generalization.
Social obligations and tailored support pathways
The ANSS territorial structures are also expected to work closely with local actors involved in social and economic integration.
Together, they will monitor the fulfillment of social obligations tied to the Direct Social Support program. These obligations include children’s school attendance and regular health follow-ups for mothers and children.
Importantly, the agency stresses that such requirements will not be applied uniformly, but adapted to the specificities of each territory and the particular circumstances of each household.
Beyond social monitoring, the agency is developing economic integration pathways. These pathways seek to strengthen skills, remove barriers to professional integration, and support beneficiaries in accessing income-generating opportunities.
The approach is presented as gradual and participatory, with an emphasis on responsibility and long-term inclusion.
Measuring impact and adjusting policy
Alongside field-level interventions, the ANSS is working to put in place a monitoring and evaluation system dedicated to assessing the effectiveness of direct social support.
This mechanism aims to measure the program’s impact on beneficiaries and track changes in local human development indicators.
The data generated through this system is expected to inform future adjustments, allowing support mechanisms to better reflect territorial potential and specific needs, while reinforcing the developmental dimension of the program.
Securing financial sustainability
Ensuring the financial viability of Direct Social Support remains a central concern. Since the program’s launch, the government reports that nearly MAD 44.6 billion had been transferred to beneficiary households by the end of September.
To sustain this effort, the Social Protection and Social Cohesion Support Fund has been reinforced as the main financial vehicle for social protection expenditures.
Its resources draw on several solidarity-based mechanisms, including contributions on profits from gambling activities introduced under the 2025 Finance Law, proceeds from the amnesty contribution on assets held abroad established under the 2024 Finance Law, and solidarity contributions on corporate profits and income.
Rationalizing social programs
The government has also moved to restructure existing social support programs in line with Framework Law No. 09.21 on social protection.
This process involved consolidating and rationalizing programs while introducing clearer eligibility criteria.
As a result, nearly MAD 15 billion in financial resources have been redirected toward the broader social protection reform and, in particular, the Direct Social Support program.
Looking ahead, the government reiterates its intention to continue diversifying funding sources and exploring innovative, sustainable financing mechanisms.
These efforts are coupled with ongoing reforms aimed at improving coherence among social programs, strengthening efficiency, and ensuring more effective use of public funds.
