Moroccan government appropriates $ 10 million to settle street hawkers

Morocco's Interior minister, Mustapha Sahel, announced on Wednesday that the government decided to appropriate US$ 10 million to settle street hawkers.

Taking the floor during question time at the House of Representatives (Lower Chamber), Sahel said the program, to be implemented in ten big cities, was devised by his department in a joint endeavour with Commerce and Industry ministry, local councils, private sector, the civil society and the recipients.

The Moroccan official further added that this five-month program, to be kicked off within weeks, concerns 23,000 street hawkers peddling products in about 84 sites covering some 27 hectares.

He further recalled that his department already instructed local councils to set up pilot markets for peddlers operating within their jurisdiction, noting that this move yielded encouraging results.