Rabat – Morocco’s Minister of Transport and Logistics Mohamed Abdeljalil has introduced new measures to simplify administrative procedures and support the competitiveness of companies in the transport sector.
The measures resulted from over ten social dialogue meetings held between minister Abdeljalil and professionals in the sector, the minister reported in a March 7 press release.
The meetings addressed pressing issues in the sector, such as rising fuel and goods prices, identification and standardization of selection criteria for freight drivers, and digitization of vehicles’ records.
In a meeting on passenger and tourism transport with the Commission for the Interior, Local Authorities and Infrastructure at the House of Advisors, the minister reported that his ministry dedicated MAD 250 million ($25 million) to the destruction and renewal of the vehicle fleet.
The ministry also allocated MAD 100 million ($10 million) for the training of professional drivers as well as the simplification of the vehicle registration procedure.
To simplify administrative procedures, the reception of vehicle registrations will be possible through Barid Bank and Barid Cash services by the end of March.
The transfer of vehicle ownership will also be completed in Barid Bank and Barid Cash offices by the end of the year, stated Abdeljalil.
Additionally, the ministry plans to digitize the submission of complaints and appeals related to violations of traffic laws as well as to generalize social security for professional drivers.
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While the new measures enable the development of the Moroccan transport sector, they do not address the major pressing issue, rising fuel prices.
Rising inflation, COVID-19 disruption of global supply chains, and the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine caused the surge in fuel prices, leading to social outrage and protest of transport professionals.
Morocco’s Association of Transport and Logistics (AMTL) called on February 15 for a 20% increase in transport fees to offset rising costs.
On March 7, the Democratic Confederation of Labor, Morocco’s General Union of Workers, Moroccan Union of Labor, National Union of Labor in Morocco, and Democratic Federation of Labor have urged for nationwide three-day strike up to extension.
The unions noted the lack of the government’s responsiveness, expressing discontent with rising costs linked to amounting fuel prices.
As of March 8 at 1 p.m, British Brent Crude reached $126.7 per barrel while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) Crude amounted to $122.2 per barrel.
