The World Bank has approved a $70 million project to support Morocco's social protection reform. This initiative, known as the Morocco Second Identity and Targeting for Social Protection Project, builds on previous efforts that established the National Population Registry and Unified Social Registry. These systems have already enrolled about half of Morocco's population.
The reform began in 2018 following King Mohammed VI's call for an effective social protection system. Law 72-18 led to the creation of the National Population Registry, Social Registry, and National Register Agency. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated these reforms, resulting in significant changes such as replacing RAMED health insurance with AMO-TADAMON. In December 2023, the Direct Social Benefit program was introduced, covering over half of the Moroccan population with a budget close to 1.6% of GDP.
The new project aims to enhance Morocco's social protection strategy through three main components: extending coverage of the National Population Registry, strengthening the Social Registry system, and focusing on project management and capacity building. It will expand services to rural areas and reduce paperwork by allowing digital applications. By 2024, at least five programs are expected to benefit from this digital transformation, expanding to eight by 2028.
Ahmadou Moustapha Ndiaye, Country Director for the Maghreb and Malta at the World Bank, stated: "The World Bank is pleased to continue supporting the expansion of registries and their efficiency for better targeting and inclusion purposes." He added that digitalizing social protection would improve access for vulnerable populations through better data use.