Government Council Meeting of Monday, December 25, 2023

• At the opening of the Government Council meeting, the Head of Government, on behalf of all ministers and personally, extends sincere congratulations to His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God support him, and to the noble royal family, on the occasion of the New Year, wishing His Majesty excellent health and well-being. The Head of Government also extends wishes to all Moroccans, hoping that the new year brings success, stability, prosperity for our country, and the realization of the development we aspire to, under the wise leadership of His Majesty Mohammed VI, may God protect him.
• The Head of Government expressed his joy as the government started, from this week onwards, to disburse the first installments of direct social assistance to families meeting the eligibility criteria, following their registration in the Unified Social Register and reaching the required eligibility threshold.
• In this regard, the Head of Government emphasized that the government has received, through the electronic portal www.asd.ma, since its launch in early December and up to now, more than 1.9 million applications, noting that this number continues to increase daily. In a statement, he explained that starting from the current December 28, approximately one million families, meeting the required eligibility threshold of the Unified Social Register, equivalent to 3.5 million Moroccans, will benefit from the first installment of this financial support. The value of this support will not be less than 500 dirhams per family, regardless of its composition, after these families have submitted their files before December 10 and their files have been processed. The Head of Government assured that the remaining families who submitted their files after the aforementioned date will receive the December and January payments at the end of next month.
• The Head of Government emphasized that the application process remains open to families meeting the eligibility threshold to benefit from direct social support in the future. He indicated that 2023 represents a pivotal year in the implementation process of the 'Social State' projects and the provision of financial resources to ensure their sustainability, including the generalization of mandatory health insurance, direct social assistance to families in poverty or precarious situations, and support for the acquisition of primary housing.
• Regarding the education system reform, the Head of Government emphasized that its goals can only be achieved through strengthening the role and position of teachers. Therefore, the government has taken measures to build trust with this category, particularly by improving their financial situation, as reflected in the current agreement of December 10 and the provision of a minimum net and general monthly salary increase of at least 1,500 dirhams. This increase is the largest in the history of the Kingdom, representing an annual cost of over 10 billion dirhams to the state finances.
• On the other hand, the Head of Government expressed condolences to the victims of the earthquake that struck the Kingdom, highlighting the government's success, thanks to the Royal directives, in turning challenges into opportunities by overseeing the reconstruction and development operations in the affected provinces. The Head of the Government added that the government was able to manage this crisis with the required diligence and efficiency, in accordance with the Royal Highness' directives, noting that the Kingdom demonstrated great resilience in the face of various challenges, earning widespread international acclaim
   

• Subsequently, the Government Council reviewed and approved the draft decree No. 2.23.105 concerning the drilling license, presented by the Minister of Equipment and Water, Nizar Baraka, taking into account the raised remarks. 
• Following that, the Government Council also reviewed and adopted the draft decree No. 2.23.1115 on the application of Article 37 of Law No. 48.15, related to the regulation of the electricity sector and the creation of the National Electricity Regulation Authority (ANRE), presented by the Minister of Economy and Finance, Nadia Fettah, on behalf of the Minister of the Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, Leila Benali. 

The Government Council continued its work by examining and approving two draft decrees, presented by the Minister Delegate to the Minister of Economy and Finance in charge of the Budget, Faouzi Lekjaa. These are:

• Draft decree No. 2.22.283 on the organization of the Commission for Tax Violations and its operating procedures. 
• Draft decree No. 2.23.1118 amending and supplementing decree No. 2.06.574 dated Dhou al-Hijjah 10, 1427 (December 31, 2006) regarding the application of Value Added Tax (VAT) as provided in the third section of the General Tax Code.
   

The Government Council, convened on Monday under the chairmanship of the Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch, approved proposals for appointments to high positions, in accordance with Article 92 of the Constitution. The following appointments were made: 

• At the level of the High Commission for the Planning (HCP)
  • Samir Issara, Director of Human Resources and General Affairs
  • Imane Benklilou, Inspector General 
• At the Ministry of National Education, Preschool, and Sports, Department - National Education:
  • Fouad Arouadi, Director of the Regional Academy of Education and Training of Fes-Meknes
• At the Ministry of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development:
  • Zakaria Hachlaf, Secretary-General of the Department of Sustainable Development 
• At the Ministry of Youth, Culture, and Communication, Department - Culture:
  • Mustapha Jlok, Director of Cultural Heritage