Morocco’s Fouzi Lekjaa admits government support has failed to ease meat prices

Fouzi Lekjaa has acknowledged that government measures aimed at supporting Moroccans’ purchasing power and tackling rising prices, particularly the cost of meat, have failed to deliver the expected results.

Lekjaa, a member of the political bureau of Morocco’s Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), discussed the issue in a video published by the party on its social media platforms.

He said the shortcomings of the measures required careful examination and the search for objective solutions to address the difficulties facing citizens.

Lekjaa also stressed that his position on the issue had already been made clear during parliamentary discussions and that it would not change because of his role within the country’s political scene.

The comments came as Lekjaa also explained his decision to become involved in politics, describing it as the result of almost three decades of experience in administrative management.

He said he wanted to use that experience in the interests of citizens and work with other political figures to address the challenges facing Moroccans.

Lekjaa also spoke about his responsibilities as Minister in charge of the Budget, explaining that his role operates within a specific framework under the supervision of the Minister of Economy and Finance and the Head of Government.

He said his responsibilities are defined by law and include managing the state’s resources generated through direct and indirect taxation.

His duties also involve determining budgetary allocations as part of the draft finance law. Those allocations remain within the budgetary process until the proposed law is approved by Parliament and becomes legislation.

Lekjaa further explained that responsibility for putting the finance law into effect comes after Parliament has adopted it. At that stage, the relevant government department is responsible for using the allocated funds in line with the provisions of the law.

The minister’s comments provided an explanation of the limits of his responsibilities within the government’s financial structure, while also addressing concerns over the effectiveness of measures intended to protect citizens from the impact of higher prices.

On purchasing power, Lekjaa was direct in acknowledging that the financial resources mobilised by the government and the state had not produced the results that were expected.

The issue of meat prices was highlighted in particular, with Lekjaa recognising the pressure created by the increase in the cost of the product.

He said the situation should lead to a detailed examination of what has not worked and the development of objective responses.

Lekjaa maintained that his view was consistent with what he had previously said in Parliament. His position, he added, would remain the same regardless of his standing in Morocco’s political landsc