Setting Up an End of Year Sale

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Privatisation is a key component of the economic reform programme, promising simultaneously to raise revenues for the state, boost the Casablanca stock exchange and impress the international financial community with Morocco's willingness to tackle tough economic issues. However, it has not been all plain sailing. The programme was stalled for months by differences within the government. Only recently has it started to pick up again, but key ministers are promising a flurry of activity for the second half of this year.

Privatisation Minister Abderrahmane Saaidi has promised to deliver revenue of MD 5,000 million from the sale of assets in the financial year that starts in July. He has also said he wants to widen the scope of the programme by expanding it to include virtually all state-owned companies.

"The current ministry thinking is that there are very few companies that would not be put on the list," says a Privatisation …