Morocco to launch anti-corruption authority
2008-08-26
Moroccan politicians and civil society leaders welcomed the creation of a new anti-corruption authority in Morocco but cautioned against its affiliation to the government.
By Sarah Touahri for Magharebia in Rabat – 26/08/08
 [Sarah Touahri] The creation of an anti-corruption authority in Morocco came one step closer to reality last week, but critics warn that its independence from the government would be questionable. |
The Central Authority for the Prevention of Corruption, first authorised in a decree last year but never realised, moved closer to becoming an actual government entity when King Mohammed VI appointed Abdesselam Boudrar, one of the founding members of Transparency Maroc, as its chief.
In an August 20th speech, the monarch called on the government to work actively to see that the body becomes a reality. "In our efforts to ensure that public affairs are conducted in an ethical manner, we must now establish the Central Authority for the Prevention of Corruption… It behoves all of us to show vigilance and resolve, to obey the rule of law and the authority of an independent institution and to make use of monitoring and accountability mechanisms in order to put an end to impunity and tackle corrupt behaviour and fraud," the King announced.
According to the March 2007 decree, the new body will be responsible for oversight and information-gathering regarding corruption and co-ordinate anti-corruption policy. Made up of representatives of various ministerial departments and organisations, the authority will be accountable to the prime minister.
Although it has been hailed by numerous politicians and civil society figures, some have criticised the body's lack of independence from the government.
Transparency Maroc Secretary-General Rachid Filali Meknassi told Magharebia that it is now essential to establish the body so that the endemic phenomenon of corruption can be addressed. He also commented that the King’s announcement sends out a clear political message to the government that it should now lend its weight to these efforts.
Meknassi noted that the authority will have a purely consultative role: "Its purpose is not to initiate legal proceedings or launch inquiries."
"I hope the authority will be not just a forum for discussion, but rather a body capable of coming up with concrete solutions," he added. The president of the Committee for Justice and Legislation within the lower house of parliament said that the body’s affiliation with the prime minister’s office will prevent it from carrying out its mission effectively. "It is imperative that this authority be independent so that it can look into all cases of corruption, no matter how sensitive," Mohamed Ansari commented.
Deputy and lawyer Fatima Mustaghfir told Magharebia that unless the efforts of all players within society are consolidated, the new authority will not be able to combat the growing phenomenon of corruption in Moroccan culture. "We need to have a large-scale media campaign to change people’s attitudes and raise their awareness of the dangers of corruption. The King’s announcement that the authority is to be created is a sign of the scale of the phenomenon. All national institutions must unite to put an end to this problem," she said.
Morocco still languishes near the bottom of Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index. Its position improved slightly in 2007 from 79th to 72nd of the 179 countries studied by the NGO.
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saidani miloudi Posted 2008-08-27
"We mustnow establish the Central Authority for the Prevention of Corruption..." the King announced in His 20th August speesh. " How much can you give me to eradicate corruption? " Asked once His father before .
Hesham Posted 2008-08-27
Corruption all of types affects all nations but what distinguishes nations is whether they actively tackle the problems caused by corruption so it's great to see Morocco taking a positive step forward in dealing with corruption which no doubt hinders economic progression in Morocco. In addition I hope the problem of excessive bureaucracy is reduced to encourage business development and investment. Level's of beuracracy in Morocco are one of the lowest in the Maghreb but there is still a long way to go.
مواطن Posted 2008-08-30
Reality lies in the chaotic planning. Why is the right man not appointed in the right position? We are all militants who defend the nation and citizens. Marginalisation, dependency, slum towns, streets, stations, leading to prisons which only teach them how the sons of my country die. To avoid any eternal path, triumph to fair distribution. May God grant you success.
KAMAL Posted 2008-12-07
The worst corruption is that which is clearly practiced on the roads. Our children are shocked when they see with their own eyes a gendarme being corrupt in broad daylight. They will always have a bad memory of this!!! We have really tried to erase this memory from their minds, but in vain. At every road control point they pay a lot of attention to the gestures the truck drivers make when they are having a discussion with the gendarmes!!! In the end, we cannot categorically deny that this practice is pretty much harmful for our society. These people need to stop such discrediting acts.
majdi Posted 2009-07-29
If His Majesty really wanted to eradicate corruption, then, believe me, it would be eradicated in two or three days. It is simple: all you have to do is send out firm orders demanding that the Prime Minister do this, and in turn he would send out royal orders to al the other ministers, would then do the same to their entire administration. The firmest and harshest of laws would be: "Any official found guilty of corruption and all those involved in the corruption will be put behind bars in prison for a minimum of four years and have their status as an official revoked." The first and only official to answer to the King - and directly so - is the Prime Minister. After the head of every administration in the hierarchy is warned, he will immediately come down on the corrupt people below him in order to avoid having himself overcome by the law. However, so long as there are only words and speeches, nothing will be done and the scourge that is corruption will become worse.
mochkil kabir...! Posted 30 days ago
I swear on my good faith that between 15 July 2009 and 15 August 2009, the Moroccan police taxed me 2000 dirhams in one month and that not a single cent of it went to the state. This is quite bad, all the same. Thank you, everyone.
FOUAD Posted 25 days ago
It should also be emphasized that the Moroccan officials’ attitudes are the image of corruption, which is to say: The official obtains his position thanks to corruption and, because he has neither the qualifications nor the intellectual capacity for the functions he is charged with, he functions a bit like an animal, eating, drinking and smoking in his office and, as a general rule, receiving the public – these friends of his bribe him – unshaven and unbuttoned. Indeed, all commissioners function as such. They receive people with complete indifference and with a disagreeable tone of voice, the exception being the lords of the bribe.
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