Heavy protests broke out in several Moroccan cities on Sunday as angry citizens rallied against rising prices and to mark the eleventh anniversary of demonstrations that called for reform.
In the capital city Rabat, dozens of protesters were seen lamenting the high cost of basic goods and shouted slogans harking back to the ‘February 20 Movement’.
The pro-reform and anti-corruption movement was born out of the Arab Spring uprisings that rocked the Middle East in 2011.
Dozens also rallied in Casablanca and Tangiers, according to videos posted on social media which were obtained by Africa Today News, New York.
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Africa Today News, New York gathered that the economy of the economy has been ravaged by drought and Moroccans are also feeling the pinch from high fuel prices.
Smaller demonstrations broke out in other cities where protesters demanded that government immediately intervene to improve the people’s purchasing power.
The minister delegate in charge of the budget, Fouzi Lekjaa, noted that the government has adopted multiple measures to alleviate the strain on Moroccan households, but acknowledged they remain ‘insufficient.’
The government blamed the spike in prices of basic goods on a combination of the global post-pandemic economic recovery and the increase in prices of grains and oil products on international markets.
Africa Today News, New York gathered that the national average rainfall for this rainy season so far is just 7.5 centimeters (3 inches), which is 64% lower than a normal year, according to a statement by the royal palace. It said 10 billion dirhams ($1 billion) have been allocated to mitigate the drought’s impact on the agricultural sector and the economy as a whole.
The sting of high energy prices and resulting inflation is being felt around the world, piling financial stress on governments, businesses and households. Countries are scrambling to address expensive utility bills and rising prices for food as farmers and supermarkets pass along their costs to customers, many of whom are facing a cost-of-living crisis.
AFRICA TODAY NEWS, NEW YORK