Morocco: 400 million dirhams in road transport fuel aid
Morocco's Transport and Logistics Ministry released 400 million dirhams in exceptional aid for road transport professionals, as unions demand a raise of more than 60%.
The Moroccan government has released an exceptional envelope of 400 million dirhams to support road transport professionals during the first half of November, as fuel prices climb, with diesel nearing 17 dirhams per litre. The announcement was made by Abdessamad Kayouh, Minister of Transport and Logistics, at a press briefing after the Government Council, according to Alyaoum24.
The aid covers about 200,000 vehicles registered with the National Road Safety Agency, including intercity passenger buses, urban public transport buses, goods trucks, road tractors, small and large taxis, rural dual-transport vehicles, tourist transport, and towing vehicles. According to Al3omk, Kayouh said the government decided to switch from monthly to half-monthly payments to track fuel prices at distribution stations, which are reviewed every 15 days, since prices can rise or fall due to wars and supply issues.
| Vehicle category | Aid amount |
|---|---|
| Intercity passenger buses | 5,600 DH |
| Urban public transport buses | 4,960 DH |
| Road tractors (semi-trailers) | 4,800 DH |
| Goods trucks (over 19 tonnes) | 3,360 DH |
| Large taxis | 1,760 DH |
| Small taxis | 1,280 DH |
| Rural dual-transport vehicles | 1,440 DH |
| Towing vehicles | 800 DH |
This sector-specific aid, with online registration via the "Mouakaba" platform opening on 10 November, comes as the government rules out a return to across-the-board fuel-price support, which could cost up to 70 billion dirhams, preferring targeted mechanisms like this one instead. The scheme is not new: it began in March 2022 after the Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine, but the shift from monthly to half-monthly payments is its biggest change since then.
The new aid has not satisfied road freight transport professionals. The National Union Coordination of the Road Freight Transport Sector, which brings together four unions, sent a letter to Head of Government Fatima Zahra El Mansouri demanding, according to Al3omk, a raise of more than 60% in the aid, regular monthly payment as long as diesel stays above 12 dirhams, reopening the platform for last June and July's unpaid claims, and settling files pending since the scheme began in 2022. The unions warn that irregular payments disrupt freight transport services, while higher transport costs feed directly into the price of food shipped to national markets, against a backdrop of calls for protests against the cost of living this week.