Fatima-Zahra Mansouri, Morocco’s Minister of National Territory Planning, Urban Development, Housing and City Policy, acknowledged Monday that her party has failed to resolve several major challenges, particularly in the health sector, which she said suffers from a structural shortage.
Mansouri, who also serves as mayor of Marrakech and national coordinator of the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), told a meeting with the party’s youth branch that “no country in the world has managed to solve all its problems.”
“It would be unrealistic to claim we can fix every issue,” she said, pointing to health care as one of the most pressing concerns. Morocco currently lacks 30,000 doctors, a gap that cannot be closed quickly, she added. “Should we lie to Moroccans and say we’ll solve the health problem tomorrow? We can’t. This is a reform that takes time, not something achievable in a year or two.”
Mansouri noted that while her generation has witnessed progress compared with the 1980s and 1990s, problems remain significant. “We did not succeed fully, but we did achieve some progress in certain areas. Those who deny that Morocco has advanced are acting in bad faith,” she said.
Addressing the recent wave of protests led by Generation Z, Mansouri described demonstrations as “part of democratic vitality” but urged young people to express their grievances within an organized framework. “We are not afraid of our youth. Protesting is legitimate, but we want it to remain within the law so that dialogue is possible,” she said.
The minister also emphasized her party’s openness to criticism and accountability. “We are ready for Moroccans to criticize us, not to vote for us, and to hold us accountable. We spent years in the opposition; that is not a problem for us,” she said.
On the broader political landscape, Mansouri underscored that democracy remains a non-negotiable choice for Moroccans. “Parties are like families — there are good and bad, corrupt and honest,” she said. “Have we reached the end of this system? Are we in a democratic deadlock? Perhaps we need to think differently. Until then, democracy is the people’s choice, for which Moroccans sacrificed, were imprisoned, and fought.”
add your comment
Terms of publication : Not to offend the writer, people, sacred things, or attack religions or the divine self, and refrain from racist incitement and insults.