By Ahmed Eljechtimi
RABAT (Reuters) -Morocco’s finance ministry on Monday submitted to the country’s parliament a 2026 draft budget totalling 761.3 billion dirhams ($83 billion), up 5.5% from a year ago.
The government expects economic growth to slow to 4.6% next year from 4.8% in 2025, due in part to global market uncertainties and an anticipated average grain harvest in the North African country, according to the draft budget seen by Reuters.
The government said it would place priority on improving health and education and reducing inequalities between regions in its 2026 budget.
Youth-led protests spread across the kingdom in recent weeks, revealing deep-seated anger over public services.
Morocco’s government expects public investment to increase by 12% to 380 billion dirhams next year, driven by spending on infrastructure projects, including ports, airports and railways ahead of the 2030 FIFA World Cup, the document showed.
The country’s fiscal deficit is expected to shrink to 3% of GDP in 2026 from 3.5% this year, as higher tax revenue continues to offset increased public investment spending, the document showed.
Financing needs are estimated at 48.744 billion dirhams in 2026, down 23.26% from 2025.
(Reporting by Ahmed El Jechtimi; editing by Mark Heinrich and Paul Simao)
