If you walked through the bustling markets of Casablanca or the tech hubs of Rabat today, you’d hear one name mentioned with a mix of high-stakes expectation and sharp-tongued skepticism: Aziz Akhannouch. He isn't just a politician. He is the Prime Minister of Morocco, a billionaire businessman, and currently, the man holding the steering wheel of a country trying to leapfrog into the future while battling some very old-school economic pressures.
Honestly, the guy is a walking contradiction.
One day, he’s in Madrid shaking hands with Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez—who just recently, on January 13, 2026, hailed Morocco as the "central strategic partner" for Europe. The next day, he’s presiding over a cabinet meeting in Rabat, trying to figure out how to keep the price of bread down while simultaneously launching a $10 billion AI strategy. It's a lot.
The Billionaire in the Hot Seat
You've got to understand where he comes from to get why he’s so polarizing. Born in 1961 in the Berber town of Tafraout, Akhannouch didn't start at the bottom. He inherited Akwa Group, a massive conglomerate that basically runs Morocco's gas and oil sectors. Imagine being the richest man in the country and then deciding, "Yeah, I should probably run the government too."
That’s essentially what happened.
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After spending 14 years as the Minister of Agriculture, his party, the National Rally of Independents (RNI), swept the 2021 elections. He promised a "social state." He promised jobs. But as we move through 2026, those promises are meeting the cold, hard reality of global inflation.
Why the Prime Minister of Morocco is Betting Big on AI
While most people are worried about the cost of living, Akhannouch is looking at the year 2030. Just this week, his government launched the "AI Made in Morocco" initiative. It sounds like sci-fi, but it’s real. They are setting up something called the JAZARI ROOT Institute.
The goal?
They want to add $10 billion to the GDP by 2030 through artificial intelligence. It’s a gutsy move. His Minister of Digital Transition, Amal El Fallah Seghrouchni, is pushing for 50,000 new AI-related jobs. Some people think it’s visionary; others, specifically the younger GenZ 212 movement, are shouting, "Healthcare and education before the World Cup!"
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The 2026 Election Looming Large
Here is the thing nobody talks about enough: 2026 is an election year.
Technically, we are in the home stretch. Recent polling data from sources like the High Commission for Planning (HCP) hasn't been kind to the Prime Minister of Morocco. About 61% of respondents in recent surveys expressed some level of disapproval with his performance.
- The Problem: High food prices and a feeling that the "billionaire's cabinet" is out of touch.
- The Defense: The government points to massive infrastructure wins, like the rapid construction of desalination plants to fight Morocco's brutal water scarcity.
- The Challenger: Keep an eye on Nizar Baraka of the Istiqlal Party. He’s often framed as the "loyalist" alternative if the public’s patience with Akhannouch finally snaps.
What Most People Get Wrong
People often think the Prime Minister has absolute power. He doesn't. In Morocco, the King, Mohammed VI, holds the ultimate authority, especially on big-picture strategy and security. The PM is more like a Chief Operating Officer. He handles the "how," but the King handles the "why."
Lately, Akhannouch has been restructuring his cabinet to bring in "technocrats"—people who are experts in their fields but haven't spent their lives in politics. For example, he brought in Karim Zidane, a former BMW engineer, to run the Investment Ministry. It’s a corporate approach to governance. It's efficient, sure, but it lacks that "man of the people" vibe that voters often crave.
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The Road Ahead: Actionable Insights for 2026
If you’re watching Morocco for business or travel this year, here is what you actually need to know:
- Watch the Water: Morocco is investing billions in desalination. If these projects hit their milestones, it stabilizes the agricultural sector, which is the backbone of the economy.
- The Digital Shift: The "Morocco AI 2030" roadmap isn't just talk. There are serious tax breaks and incentives for tech startups coming through the pipeline right now.
- Political Volatility: Expect some "pre-election" spending. The government will likely roll out more social subsidies in the coming months to try and win back the trust of the middle class before the 2026 vote.
Akhannouch is essentially trying to run a country like a Fortune 500 company. Whether that works for a nation with deep-seated social needs remains the biggest question of the year.
Keep an eye on the weekly Council of Government meetings. This is where the real administrative shifts—like the recent January 2026 appointments in the health and education sectors—actually happen. If you're looking to invest or understand the region, the official government portal (cg.gov.ma) is actually surprisingly transparent with its decree updates. Monitoring the rollout of the "Territorial Health Groups" will be the litmus test for whether his social reforms are actually reaching the rural areas or just staying as PowerPoint slides in Rabat.