Morocco Seeks to Lower 2020 Fiscal Deficit to 3.5%

Moroccan Minister of Finance Mohamed Benchaaboun speaks during a news conference in Rabat, Morocco October 22, 2019. REUTERS/Youssef Boudlal
Moroccan Minister of Finance Mohamed Benchaaboun speaks during a news conference in Rabat, Morocco October 22, 2019. REUTERS/Youssef Boudlal
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Morocco Seeks to Lower 2020 Fiscal Deficit to 3.5%

Moroccan Minister of Finance Mohamed Benchaaboun speaks during a news conference in Rabat, Morocco October 22, 2019. REUTERS/Youssef Boudlal
Moroccan Minister of Finance Mohamed Benchaaboun speaks during a news conference in Rabat, Morocco October 22, 2019. REUTERS/Youssef Boudlal

Morocco is targeting to lower its fiscal deficit of 3.5 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2020 through a bunch of financial and taxation procedures.

Moroccan Minister of Finance Mohamed Benchaaboun said that these measures – included in budget 2020 – will control government spending. He added that his government will count on privatization that will generate MAD3 billion (USD300 million) besides taxation procedures.

Benchaaboun presented on Monday the Appropriation Bill 2020 during a plenary session of the parliament, pointing out that the budget anticipates spending more than MAD488.6 billion (USD51.4 billion) with an increase of 10.2 percent.

It would bring additional incomes worth MAD446.7 billion (USD47 billion), which is a 7 percent increase.

The new budget includes new measures that push investment especially reducing the marginal price of the tax on companies from 31 percent to 28 percent and declining the current price of the minimum rate of the tax from 0.75 percent to 0.50 percent.

This coincides with continuous reform of the investment climate and working on extracting the new charter of investment as well as reforming regional centers for investment.

The minister added that the government allocates great importance to SMEs and emerging projects.

Regarding taxation, the suggested budget encompasses transitional procedures for the sake of enabling firms and individuals to settle their taxation status. Benchaaboun said that the budget is a platform to establish a new stage based on fostering trust and promoting initiatives.



Russia's Novak: Oil Market Balanced Thanks to OPEC+

Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak and OPEC Secretary General Haitham Al Ghais attend a news briefing in Moscow, Russia November 22, 2024.  REUTERS/Olesya Astakhova
Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak and OPEC Secretary General Haitham Al Ghais attend a news briefing in Moscow, Russia November 22, 2024. REUTERS/Olesya Astakhova
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Russia's Novak: Oil Market Balanced Thanks to OPEC+

Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak and OPEC Secretary General Haitham Al Ghais attend a news briefing in Moscow, Russia November 22, 2024.  REUTERS/Olesya Astakhova
Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak and OPEC Secretary General Haitham Al Ghais attend a news briefing in Moscow, Russia November 22, 2024. REUTERS/Olesya Astakhova

The global oil market is balanced thanks to the actions of OPEC+ countries and compliance with its quotas, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said on Friday following a Russia-OPEC meeting.
OPEC+ countries, which are pumping around half the world's oil, are taking all necessary decisions to maintain market stability, Novak also said after meeting OPEC Secretary General Haitham Al Ghais in Moscow.
"Today, while discussing the situation and forecasts, we assess the current market as balanced. That's thanks primarily to the actions of OPEC+ countries and coordinated actions to comply with the quotas, voluntary commitments of OPEC+ count," Novak said.
The meeting comes as OPEC+, which includes the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies such as Russia, prepares to meet on Dec.1.