Morocco takes measures to reform civil service, fight corruption
Morocco, Politics, 11/5/1998

Morocco's government is presently carrying out a short-term program for reforms of the civil service, minister of the government general affairs Ahmed Lahlimi told a group of reporters Tuesday.

He announced plans to cut the administration spending to between 9 to 8 percent of the Gross Domestic Product by 2003 from the current 11 percent in addition to a projected adoption of 20 laws, 24 decrees and 41 actions.

Chairman of the Moroccan employers association "CGEM," Abderrahim Lahjouji said it is necessary to take disciplinary actions against officials who hinder investments.

However, debates revealed that the most acute problem facing investments was corruption and the minister announced that to lure investment, the authorities will implement, starting next week, a prime minister's note that set up a commission to take sanctions against government executives guilty of botching up investments in the country. Its first meeting will examine eight complaints, including one from a foreign investor. Lahlimi explained that the commission is a provisional one pending the creation, end of this year or beginning next year, of a board provided for by the investment charter.

He went on that an "investor road map" will be published for all investors seeking information, adding that the less licenses are required the more corruption will be reduced.

Last year, Morocco attracted a record $1.2 billion in direct foreign and in the first four months of 1998 private investments and loans to Morocco fell by about 56 percent, dropping from 2.5 billion dirhams at the end of April 1997 to 1.10 billion at the end of April 1998.

Previous Stories:
  Morocco: Slow bureaucrats that harm investments and economy to be punished   (10/14/1998)
  Morocco's ambitions and reforms surveyed in Madrid   (10/13/1998)
  Moroccan officials outline Morocco's economic and political reforms   (7/2/1998)

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