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Rabat – Morocco’s House of Representatives on Tuesday approved a new law that reorganizes urban planning and housing governance at the regional level.
The legislation lays the groundwork for the creation of Regional Agencies for Urban Planning and Housing and marks a shift toward a more territorially anchored approach to development.
Presented by Secretary of State for Housing Adib Benbrahim, the law defines the legal framework for these new agencies, which will oversee regional planning strategies and housing policies.
The government says it draws on the orientations outlined in the July 2020 Throne Speech, which called for a deep overhaul of public institutions to ensure stronger coordination and clearer roles.
The bill also follows a high-level working session chaired by King Mohammed VI in October 2023, which placed urban planning and housing among the priority sectors and endorsed the establishment of twelve regional agencies.
The reform also reflects feedback from the national dialogue on urban planning and housing, as well as observations made by the Court of Auditors on the limits of the current urban agency model.
Together, these inputs shaped a framework that seeks to reposition territorial planning within a regional logic.
Addressing lawmakers, Benbrahim described the project as part of Morocco’s ongoing efforts to anchor public action closer to territories.
He explained that the future agencies will develop a unified regional approach to planning, with attention to the specific realities of both cities and rural areas, rather than relying on fragmented or centralized decision-making.
The draft law also introduces a revised governance structure. Boards of directors will hold expanded responsibilities, executive roles will follow clearer mandates, and evaluation tools will guide performance and oversight.
The text also addresses human resources, through a unified legal status for staff and safeguards for acquired rights.
At its core, the legislation seeks to provide regions with strategic public institutions capable of supporting advanced regionalization and public policies in urban planning and housing.
The objective, as outlined in the statement, lies in strengthening territorial dynamics while ensuring greater coherence in public action across regions.
