Morocco declares 62 cities free of slums under housing program

Thursday 04 June 2026 - 15:01

By: Dakir Madiha

Morocco declares 62 cities free of slums under housing program

Morocco has declared 62 cities and urban centers free of slums as part of a long-running national housing policy aimed at improving living conditions for low-income households. Officials said the progress reflects sustained intervention in informal settlements and expanded public housing efforts across multiple regions.

Since its launch in 2004 under royal directives, the national program to eliminate slums has targeted hundreds of thousands of households living in precarious housing. Authorities report that more than 384,000 families have benefited from improved living conditions through relocation, resettlement, and upgraded housing schemes.

A new phase covering 2024 to 2028 has been introduced to address remaining informal settlements and rising housing demand. Around 120,000 additional families have been identified, particularly in large urban areas including Greater Casablanca. The policy shift now emphasizes resettlement models that involve greater participation from private developers alongside public housing efforts.

Officials also reported uneven but accelerating progress across regions. In the Skhirat-Témara prefecture, more than 23,000 families have already been treated out of a total of over 33,000. Nationwide, the number of beneficiary households supported annually has risen from about 6,200 to more than 18,000, with over 81,000 households assisted during the current legislative period. Authorities say tighter monitoring measures are in place to prevent the re-emergence of informal settlements, with the stated objective of fully eliminating slums by 2028.