RABAT — King Mohammed VI appointed Ahmed Mehdi Mezouari as minister delegate in charge of maritime fisheries on Friday as part of Morocco’s newly formed government led by Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri.
A senior member of the Socialist Union of Popular Forces (USFP), Mezouari built his political career through the party’s local and regional structures. His experience includes a parliamentary term, political work in Mohammedia, and responsibilities within the party’s national leadership.
A political career rooted in Mohammedia
Mezouari’s political background is closely tied to his family’s history with the USFP. His father, Lahcen Mezouari, was a longtime party activist in Mohammedia who helped establish the early structures of the National Union of Popular Forces (UNFP), the predecessor of the USFP.
A teacher by training, Lahcen Mezouari settled in Mohammedia in the 1960s and held several political and elected positions. These included responsibilities within the municipal council, Parliament, and the party’s local structures. From 1992 to 1997, he served as first vice-president of the city council. He died on May 3, 2026, at the age of 88.
Ahmed Mehdi Mezouari followed a similar political path, joining the USFP’s youth structures before taking on responsibilities at the provincial and regional levels. He became the party’s provincial secretary in Mohammedia and later its regional secretary for Casablanca-Settat. He also joined the USFP’s Political Bureau, one of its senior leadership bodies.
Parliamentary experience and local politics
Mezouari served in the House of Representatives during the 2011–2016 legislative term after being elected through the national list for young candidates. As a member of the Socialist parliamentary group, he took part in parliamentary work on economic and financial issues, as well as social and local affairs.
Alongside his parliamentary career, he remained active in local politics in Mohammedia. He led the USFP list in the city’s 2015 communal elections and became involved in local governance. His work included chairing an inquiry commission dealing with urban planning, public works, and public spending.
His political activities also extended to party organization and communication. In 2021, he took part in coordinating the USFP’s digital campaign as political parties increasingly used social media to reach voters.
Campaigning on economic and local concerns
In the run-up to Morocco’s September 23, 2026 legislative elections, Mezouari helped prepare candidates in the Casablanca-Settat region before leading the USFP list in Mohammedia.
His campaign included meetings with residents, shopkeepers, and professionals. He raised concerns about purchasing power, tax pressure, and the challenges facing small businesses. He also criticized aspects of local governance and the government’s record, while promoting what he described as an alternative development project for Casablanca-Settat.
On candidate selection, Mezouari defended the role of the party’s provincial and regional structures. He also argued that political experience and party activism should carry more weight than financial considerations.
A new role in maritime fisheries
Mezouari’s appointment moves him from party organization and local political affairs into a government role focused on a key economic sector.
Maritime fisheries face several challenges in Morocco, including the need to preserve fish stocks, maintain the sustainability of fishing activity, and improve working conditions for professionals in the sector.
As minister delegate for maritime fisheries, Mezouari joins the government team responsible for the sector under the Ministry of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries and Food Sovereignty. His appointment marks a new stage in a career shaped primarily by the USFP, parliamentary work, and political engagement in Mohammedia.
