Morocco COVID-19 Social Protection Emergency Response Project
Divers
Start Date
Budget US$ 400 millions
End Date
Budget US$ 400 millions
Start Date
End Date
Project funded by
The spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent confinement and social distancing
measures have significantly altered economic activity. Since the first reported case of COVID-19 in
Morocco on March 2, 2020, thousands of residents have contracted the disease, with more than 301,604
confirmed cases and 4,932 deaths until November 18, 2020.1 Recognizing the limitations of the health
care system and the importance of acting swiftly, Morocco introduced stringent measures to reduce the
spread of the virus. On March 20, 2020, the country declared a state of health emergency that suspended
public events, enforced nighttime curfews, limited movements within and across cities, closed schools
and public offices, and banned international travel. The confinement measures had a direct impact on
formal and informal workers whose activities were put to a halt, as the sweeping majority of enterprises
in the country experienced total or partial shutdown during the confinement. Even among those that had
resumed their businesses, less than a third regained normal activity months after the first cases of the
pandemic.