El Mansouri government: the 32 ministers and what changes for Moroccans abroad

Friday 16 October 2026, the Royal Palace in Rabat. One by one, the members of the new government take their oath before His Majesty King Mohammed VI. Then comes the group photo. In the centre stands a lawyer from Marrakech: Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri, the first woman ever to lead a government in Morocco.

Thirty-two people have just taken charge of the files that matter to a Moroccan living abroad: the consulate where you renew your passport, customs when you come home, the grant to buy a flat, the ferry fare, the children's school, your pension. Who are they? Where do they come from? And above all, who now decides what in your life as a Moroccan abroad?

Key points

• •32 members: the Head of Government, 19 ministers, the Secretary General of the Government and 11 ministers delegate. No secretaries of state.
• •7 women, including the Head of Government.
• •13 members carried over from the outgoing government, including Nasser Bourita, Abdelouafi Laftit and Abdellatif Ouahbi.
• •Moroccans abroad remain under Foreign Affairs, with Nasser Bourita, as in the previous term.
• •A brand-new ministry: Artificial Intelligence, Digital Transformation and Administrative Reform, headed by Ahmed Rahhou.
• •The names to remember for Moroccans abroad: Bourita (consulates), Lekjaa (remittances and customs), Belfkih and Saadi (housing grant), Kayouh (summer transport), Ouahbi (foreign judgments), Rahhou (online procedures).

The government in figures

The King appointed Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri Head of Government on 29 September 2026. On 14 October she reported to him on her consultations. Two days later, her team was appointed.

The new structure says a lot about priorities. There are no more secretaries of state: their portfolios go to ministers delegate. Economy and Finance add "Public Performance". Infrastructure and Water take over Forests. Agriculture adds "Food Sovereignty". National Education absorbs Vocational Training. Investment joins Industry and Trade. And a whole ministry is devoted to artificial intelligence, a first for Morocco.

For Moroccans abroad, continuity prevails. They still appear in the title of Nasser Bourita's ministry, as in the previous term. No minister delegate is specifically dedicated to them.

The Head of Government

Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri, Head of Government

Born on 3 January 1976 in Marrakech, she joined the Marrakech bar in 2005 and specialised in land and property law. A law degree in Rabat, a postgraduate diploma in business contract law in Montpellier, a certificate in common law from Pace University in the United States: the profile of a business lawyer.

In 2009 she became the first woman to chair Marrakech city council. Twice elected to Parliament, she returned to the city hall in 2021. The same year she joined the government as Housing Minister. In 2014, Forbes had already listed her among the twenty most influential young women in Africa.

On 29 September, the day of her appointment, she spoke of a "historic moment": "For the first time in our country's history, a woman is taking on the responsibility of head of government."

For you: she chairs the ministerial committee on Moroccans abroad, which coordinates diaspora investment, skills mobilisation, administrative services and identity. She also knows your housing file well: when she was at Housing, 26% of applications for the direct housing grant came from Moroccans abroad (January 2025 figure).

Your papers and your rights

Nasser Bourita, Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans Living Abroad

This is the minister closest to your daily life. Born in 1969 in Taounate, with a degree in international law from Rabat, Nasser Bourita has spent his whole career in diplomacy: Vienna, Brussels, the United Nations, then Secretary General of the ministry in 2011. Minister delegate in 2016, he became Foreign Minister in April 2017. He has been reappointed.

His diplomatic record is substantial: Morocco's return to the African Union in 2017, the launch of the Atlantic African States Process in 2022, and Security Council resolution 2797 in October 2025, which calls for negotiations on the basis of Morocco's autonomy proposal.

On Moroccans abroad, he told MPs: "We have increased the number of the Kingdom's consular representations abroad from 40 to 57."

For you: passport, national ID card, civil status, consular registration. Online appointments, mobile consulates, call centres in seven languages, online payment of stamp duties, a unified consular guide on consulat.ma. In summer, his ministry also keeps consulates open at weekends during Operation Marhaba. One ongoing project concerns you directly: issuing birth certificates remotely.

Abdelouafi Laftit, Minister of the Interior

A graduate of the École polytechnique and the École des Ponts et Chaussées, born in 1967, Abdelouafi Laftit ran the ports of Agadir, Safi and Tangier in the 1990s. Governor of Fahs-Anjra and then Nador, Wali of Rabat in 2014, he has been Interior Minister since 2017. This is his third government.

His ministry launched the digitisation of more than 38 million civil status records, some dating back to 1915, across 1,821 registry offices, for more than 194 million dirhams.

For you: the electronic national ID card (CNIE) is issued by the DGSN, under his authority. It is valid for 10 years for holders over 12. And the digitisation of civil records is what will eventually make it possible to request a birth certificate from abroad.

Abdellatif Ouahbi, Minister of Justice

Born on 28 July 1961 in Taroudant, a career lawyer and MP for his region, Abdellatif Ouahbi has been Justice Minister since October 2021. He has been reappointed.

He steered the law on alternative sentences. "Prison is not a solution, it is a problem that creates others," he told MPs in April 2026. He also brought in the new Code of Civil Procedure, in force since 24 August 2026, which introduces electronic notification among other changes.

For you: the new code changes how judgments handed down abroad, including divorces, are recognised in Morocco. According to Bladi, the Moroccan judge checks the jurisdiction of the foreign court, the absence of fraud, proper summoning of the parties and compliance with public order, and reciprocity between the two countries becomes a criterion. Courts also have reception committees dedicated to Moroccans abroad. Finally, the revision of the Family Code is one of his ministry's projects.

Ahmed Rahhou, Minister of Artificial Intelligence, Digital Transformation and Administrative Reform

In 1982, a young engineer from the École polytechnique, also a graduate of Télécom Paris, took charge of Royal Air Maroc's IT department. Forty-four years later, Ahmed Rahhou has become Morocco's first minister of artificial intelligence.

In between, a career at the top of business: Crédit du Maroc, CEO of Lesieur Cristal in 2003, CEO of CIH Bank in 2009, where he launched the mobile banking app and a free offer for under-30s. Ambassador to the European Union in 2019, he then chaired the Competition Council from 2021. He was born on 25 June 1958 in Meknes.

Two days before his appointment, in Marrakech, he summed up his view of digital health: "The future of medicine is not necessarily to bring doctors to people, but to bring medicine to people."

For you: this is the ministry of remote procedures. More than 660 procedures are already online on the national portal. The Idarati X.0 project, launched in February 2026, plans a single digital identity based on the CNIE and a digital wallet to store and share your official documents. According to Morocco World News, the AI roadmap targets 50,000 jobs and 200,000 people trained by 2030: an opportunity for digital talent in the diaspora.

Aïcha Guellaa, Minister Delegate for Administrative Reform

A member of the Casablanca bar since 2004, admitted before the Court of Cassation, an MP from 2007 to 2011, Aïcha Guellaa founded the Moroccan Association for Victims' Rights in 2021. She works alongside Ahmed Rahhou.

For you: Law 55-19 on the simplification of procedures is on your side. Only the documents published on the idarati.ma portal can be requested from you, and the administration cannot ask twice for the same document.

Hassan Tariq, Secretary General of the Government

Born on 1 January 1974 in Bhalil, with a doctorate in public law, Hassan Tariq has been a tax inspector, a university professor, an MP, Ambassador to Tunisia from 2019 to 2025, and then Ombudsman of the Kingdom. "Mediation rests on two principles: respect for the rule of law and fairness," he said in May 2026.

For you: every government text goes through his office before being published in the Official Gazette. The laws announced for Moroccans abroad, such as the one on the Mohammedian Foundation for Moroccans Living Abroad, will pass through him.

Your money: remittances, customs, investment

Fouzi Lekjaa, Minister of Economy, Finance and Public Performance

A son of Berkane, born on 23 July 1970 into a modest family, who played in his hometown club's youth team before becoming its president. An agricultural engineer who also attended the National School of Administration, Fouzi Lekjaa became, around 2010 and according to La Vie éco, the youngest Budget Director in Morocco's history. Minister delegate for the Budget since 2021, he now takes over the whole ministry. He also chairs the Royal Moroccan Football Federation and the 2030 World Cup committee.

His budget record: a deficit cut from 4.3% of GDP in 2023 to 3.3% in 2025, with a 3% target for 2026, and public debt expected below 66% at the end of 2026.

For you: the Foreign Exchange Office and customs come under his ministry. Your remittances exceeded 122 billion dirhams in 2025. At customs, the allowance on personal effects for a permanent return rose from 30,000 to 40,000 dirhams for Marhaba 2026, and a dedicated unit supports Moroccans abroad with investment projects.

Ryad Mezzour, Minister of Industry, Trade, Investment and Economic Inclusion

An engineer from ETH Zurich in 1996, Ryad Mezzour started in research at ABB in Switzerland before running Budget Maroc and then Suzuki Maroc. Industry Minister since 2021, he has been reappointed with Investment added. He was born on 16 May 1971 in Rabat.

"At the start of my term in 2021, Morocco had 10,000 hectares of developed and equipped industrial zones. Today, that figure has reached 15,000 hectares," he said in April 2026.

For you: he is now the investment minister. The Investment Charter offers small and medium-sized businesses cumulative grants of up to 30% of the investment: stable jobs, territorial bonus, priority sectors. Moroccans abroad account for nearly 10% of national private investment, a share His Majesty the King called for raising in his speech of 6 November 2024.

Omar Hejira, Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade

A pharmacist who graduated in Poland in 1993 and mayor of Oujda for twelve years, Omar Hejira becomes minister delegate after two years as secretary of state. In July 2026 he launched the eTrade.ma platform, which connects Moroccan cooperatives and craftspeople with foreign buyers. "The social and solidarity economy and handicrafts are present all over Morocco. But they do not have the means to export," he explained.

For you: useful if you import Moroccan products into your country of residence.

Abdeljabbar Errachidi, Minister Delegate for Handicrafts and the Solidarity Economy

Born in 1968 in Tangier, a doctor of public law and former journalist, he had been Secretary of State for Social Inclusion since 2024. In September 2026 he presented the national survey putting the prevalence of disability in Morocco at 8.7%.

For you: Moroccans abroad who want to invest can also use MDM Invest, managed by Tamwilcom: a grant of 10% of the project cost, capped at 5 million dirhams, with at least 20% equity.

Your home

Samir Belfkih, Minister of Territorial Planning, Urban Planning, Housing and Urban Policy, Government Spokesperson

The day before his appointment, Samir Belfkih was still running the École nationale supérieure d'arts et métiers in Rabat. Born in Sefrou, a mathematician trained in Rabat, at Paris-Dauphine and in Montpellier, with a doctorate in science, he taught in Kenitra and Fez before serving as an MP from 2011 to 2016. This is his first ministerial post, and he inherits the ministry once led by the new Head of Government. He is also the new spokesperson: he will announce the decisions of the Government Council every week.

For you: the direct housing grant is one of the schemes that benefits Moroccans abroad the most. It pays 100,000 dirhams for a home costing up to 300,000 dirhams, and 70,000 dirhams between 300,000 and 700,000 dirhams. It is open to Moroccans abroad who do not own a home in Morocco. In June 2026 the programme had more than 105,000 beneficiaries, 24% of them Moroccans abroad. Since the 2026 Finance Act, it also covers co-owners in undivided property.

Fatima Saadi, Minister Delegate for Housing and Urban Policy

Born in 1969 in Al Hoceima, Fatima Saadi was the first woman to chair her city's council, then an MP from 2016 to 2021. A civil servant at the Ministry of Higher Education, she assists Samir Belfkih on housing.

For you: she will oversee the housing grant day to day. The share of Moroccans abroad among beneficiaries has stayed stable, between 22% and 25%, since 2024.

Your holidays and your travel

Abdessamad Kayouh, Minister of Transport and Logistics

Born on 11 April 1966 in Oulad Teima, near Taroudant, Abdessamad Kayouh started out as a citrus farmer and exporter. An MP from 1997, president of the Taroudant provincial council, Handicrafts Minister in 2012, he has been Transport Minister since October 2024 and has been reappointed.

"Thanks to the Airports 2030 policy, driven by the Sovereign, Morocco's capacity will rise from 40 million passengers today to 80 million by 2030," he announced in April 2026. Royal Air Maroc is aiming for around 200 aircraft by 2037.

For you: this is the ministry of your summer. Operation Marhaba 2026, from 10 June to 15 September, welcomed 4,137,594 Moroccans abroad, 1.8% more than in 2025, with peaks of around 80,000 arrivals a day. Ferry prices come up in Parliament every summer: MPs put the question to him.

Jalal Charaf, Minister of Tourism, Handicrafts and the Solidarity Economy

A graduate of École Centrale Paris who worked at the vocational training office OFPPT, the employers' confederation CGEM, OCP and Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, where he chaired the Artificial Intelligence Council, Jalal Charaf arrives in tourism without ever having held elected office. He was born on 22 August 1975.

For you: you are at the heart of his figures. From January to August 2025, Moroccans abroad accounted for 49% of the 13.5 million arrivals at the borders. Morocco welcomed 19.8 million visitors in 2025 and is aiming for 26 million in 2030.

Nizar Baraka, Minister of Infrastructure, Water and Forests

With a doctorate in economics from Aix-Marseille, a former Finance Minister and former president of the Economic, Social and Environmental Council, Nizar Baraka has been reappointed, with Forests added. He was born on 6 February 1964 in Rabat.

For you: the roads you drive in summer, the tap water in your home region. Morocco has 1,800 km of motorways and 17 desalination plants, and its 156 large dams were more than 74% full in April 2026. On the Ourika tunnel, which would save around 80 minutes between Marrakech and Ouarzazate, he said in May 2026: "the project remains possible and necessary".

Your children: school, diplomas, training

Nabil Benabdallah, Minister of National Education, Preschool, Vocational Training and Qualification

Born on 3 June 1959 in Rabat, a graduate of the Lycée Descartes and of INALCO in Paris, Nabil Benabdallah was a sworn translator and interpreter before becoming Communication Minister from 2002 to 2007, Ambassador in Rome, then Housing Minister from 2012 to 2017. He returns to government through education. "This is indeed a vital and essential sector in which we must build on what has already been achieved," he said at the handover.

For you: equivalence for a foreign baccalaureate can be requested online at equivalence.men.gov.ma, useful for a child returning to Morocco. According to Maroc Patriotique, a unit dedicated to teaching Arabic, Amazigh and Moroccan history abroad was created within his ministry in September 2026.

Azzeddine El Midaoui, Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Innovation

With a doctorate in chemistry from the University of Montpellier, a desalination specialist and president of Ibn Tofail University in Kenitra for nine years, Azzeddine El Midaoui has been reappointed. He was born in February 1959 in Rabat.

For you: bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees from French public universities have been recognised automatically in Morocco since 2025, whereas the procedure used to take at least six months. The 2025-2028 research programme sets aside around 200 million dirhams to mobilise the skills of Moroccans worldwide.

Kamal Hachoumi, Minister Delegate for Preschool and Combating School Dropout

A professor of constitutional law at Mohammed V University and former chief of staff to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, he takes on a new portfolio: nearly 300,000 children leave school every year, according to the figure cited in Parliament.

Madiha Khayr, Minister Delegate for Vocational Training and Qualification

Born on 17 April 1975 in Beni Mellal, she built a career in aviation, at the National Airports Office and then as Secretary General of the Mohammed VI International Academy of Civil Aviation. Re-elected as an MP in September 2026, she takes charge of vocational training, which concerns young Moroccans abroad considering a qualifying course in Morocco.

Your health, your pension, your family

Youns Bjijou, Minister of Health and Social Protection

An obstetrician-gynaecologist and professor of anatomy at the Rabat Faculty of Medicine, also trained at Sciences Po Paris, Youns Bjijou ran the Mohammed VI Foundation for Science and Health, which operates university hospitals in Rabat, Marrakech, Agadir and Dakhla. He was born on 22 June 1971 in Taza. "It is about building an integrated ecosystem, based on training, research, innovation and equitable access to care," he said in March 2026.

For you: compulsory health insurance now covers 88% of the population, which matters for your parents in Morocco and for your own retirement if you move back. Oversight of private clinics, where many Moroccans abroad get treatment during their stays, remains in his hands.

Abderrahim Chahid, Minister of Employment and Social Dialogue

A son of Zagora province, former president of its provincial council and an MP, Abderrahim Chahid defended a doctoral thesis on the cultural diversity of the Draa oasis in June 2026, four months before joining the government. At the handover, he described social dialogue as "the foundation of social peace".

For you: reform of the pension funds and higher pensions are among his first files. According to Bladi, the International Labour Organization launched a review of Morocco's bilateral social security agreements in September 2026, with no change to benefits announced. The HCP measured unemployment at 9.5% in the second quarter of 2026, under its new method.

Najwa Koukouss, Minister of Family, Social Development and Equality

She grew up in Derb Soltane, in Casablanca, where she started with the scouts and the neighbourhood youth centre. A lawyer at the Casablanca bar and an MP from 2021 to 2026, she chaired the House's thematic group on Equality and Parity, which worked on the Family Code.

For you: her ministry is involved in the reform of the Moudawana, which is led by the Ministry of Justice, the Higher Council of the Judiciary and the Public Prosecutor's Office. Her programmes also concern your elderly or disabled relatives in Morocco.

Rachid Hamouni, Minister Delegate for Social Inclusion

Born in 1971 in Missour, with a chemistry degree from Fez and a background in insurance, he was an MP and parliamentary group leader. He oversees disability and the elderly in particular. In 2025, 27,642 disabled children received schooling support, with 1,200 dirhams a month per child.

The other portfolios

Ahmed Toufiq, Minister of Habous and Islamic Affairs

A historian and novelist born on 22 June 1943 in the High Atlas, a former director of the National Library, Ahmed Toufiq has been Minister of Habous since 2002. For you: during Ramadan 2026, around 350 preachers and Quran reciters were sent to France, Belgium, Spain, the Netherlands, Germany, Canada and Estonia to serve Moroccan communities.

Khalid Hatimy, Minister of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries and Food Sovereignty

From Taroudant, with an Executive MBA from Emory University in the United States, he ran industrial and agri-food companies for more than thirty years before becoming an MP. For you: in June 2026, the ministry described Moroccans abroad as "a major pool of investors for national agriculture", under the Generation Green strategy.

Ahmed Mehdi Mezouari, Minister Delegate for Maritime Fisheries

Born in Mohammedia, a former MP, he sat on the board of the National Electricity Regulatory Authority. He assists Khalid Hatimy.

Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid, Minister of Youth, Culture and Sports

He partly grew up like you: his family moved to France in 1994, when he was 10, according to Le360. Born on 26 October 1984 in Rabat, educated at Sciences Po Toulouse and Sciences Po Paris, he has been reappointed and takes over Sports, and with it the 2030 World Cup file. "A monument must not only be preserved; it must be explained, brought to life and reclaimed by citizens," he told Zamane magazine in September 2026.

Salah-Eddine Abkari, Minister Delegate for Youth

Born on 22 March 1994, a 2016 graduate of the ENCG business school in Kenitra, he was acting Secretary General of the Culture department. He assists Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid.

Charafat Afailal, Minister of Energy, Mines and Sustainable Development

An engineer from the École Mohammadia, born in 1972 in Tetouan, a former minister delegate for Water who steered the 2016 water law. For you: if you own a house in Morocco, the law on self-generation of electricity opens the way to solar panels for private homes. A first decree was published in March 2026, and the next texts are now in her hands.

Abdeltif Loudyi, Minister Delegate for National Defence Administration

A former Treasury Director and Secretary General of the Finance Ministry, he has held this post since December 2010, nearly sixteen years. For you: military service is optional for Moroccans abroad registered with a consulate.

Kouloub Faitah, Minister Delegate for Relations with Parliament and Civil Society

A lawyer at the Tangier bar specialising in family law, from Asilah, an MP since 2021. For you: the eParticipation.ma portal also allows Moroccans living abroad to file petitions.

The full El Mansouri government

Frequently asked questions

Which minister is in charge of Moroccans abroad in the El Mansouri government? Nasser Bourita, Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans Living Abroad. No minister delegate is specifically dedicated to Moroccans abroad.

When was the El Mansouri government appointed? On Friday 16 October 2026, at the Royal Palace in Rabat, by His Majesty King Mohammed VI. Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri had been appointed Head of Government on 29 September 2026.

How many ministers are in the new government? 32 members: the Head of Government, 19 ministers, the Secretary General of the Government and 11 ministers delegate, including 7 women counting the Head of Government.

Who manages the housing grant for Moroccans abroad? Samir Belfkih, Housing Minister, and Fatima Saadi, Minister Delegate for Housing. The grant pays 100,000 or 70,000 dirhams depending on the price of the home. Moroccans abroad made up 24% of beneficiaries in June 2026.

Who is in charge of customs and money transfers? Fouzi Lekjaa, Minister of Economy and Finance, who oversees customs and the Foreign Exchange Office.

Who is responsible for Operation Marhaba? The welcome operation is run by the Mohammed V Foundation for Solidarity. Consulates take part under the authority of Nasser Bourita, and air and sea transport come under Minister Abdessamad Kayouh.

What is the new Ministry of Artificial Intelligence? A ministry created on 16 October 2026 and headed by Ahmed Rahhou. It covers artificial intelligence, digital transformation and administrative reform, including online procedures.

Sources

• •

  Cover photo: appointment ceremony of the government at the Royal Palace in Rabat, 16 October 2026, © Driss Benmalek

• •

  Le360 with MAP, official composition of the government, 16 October 2026

• •

  LeSiteinfo, list of ministers, 16 October 2026

• •

  Hespress, Le Brief, Le Matin, La Vie éco, Morocco World News, ministers' biographies, 16 and 17 October 2026

• •

  Atlasinfo, reappointments and changes of title, 17 October 2026

• •

  Maroc.ma (MAP), Royal Cabinet statement of 14 October 2026 and housing grant figures of 3 June 2026

• •

  Hespress, remittances from Moroccans abroad in 2025 (2 February 2026); Le360, Marhaba 2026 customs measures (6 June 2026)

• •

  Yabiladi, Operation Marhaba 2026 results (17 September 2026)

• •

  LesEco, arrivals of Moroccans abroad in 2025 (11 September 2025)

• •

  Le360, interviews and statements by the ministers quoted, 2023 to 2026

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