On Friday October 18, 2024, His Majesty King Mohammed VI appointed Chakib Benmoussa to the post of High Commissioner for Planning, during an official ceremony at the Royal Palace in Rabat. This appointment symbolizes a turning point for the High Commission for Planning (HCP), a key institution for the economic and statistical orientation of the Kingdom. Benmoussa succeeds Ahmed Lahlimi Alami, who led the HCP for 21 years, marking an era marked by reforms and modernization.
In recognition of his exceptional service, Ahmed Lahlimi Alami, aged 85, was decorated with the Grand Cordon of Wissam Al Arch, highlighting his many years of dedication at the head of the HCP. Appointed in 2003, Lahlimi transformed the High Commission into a central institution in Morocco’s economic planning and analysis, notably through the production of critical and detailed reports on the national economy. Its studies, often frank and rigorous, have helped to formulate public policies based on reliable data, thus consolidating the role of the HCP as a reference statistical body.
During his tenure, Lahlimi also led several major projects, such as general population censuses, the establishment of monitoring frameworks for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the development of strategies for long-term economic growth. . The 2024 census, completed under his supervision, is one of his last legacies. This national operation mobilized thousands of Moroccans and generated essential data to assess the demographic dynamics and development potential of the Kingdom.
Chakib Benmoussa, born in Fez in 1958, succeeded Lahlimi at a pivotal moment. A graduate of the École Polytechnique and the École Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées in Paris, as well as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Benmoussa has an impressive career in public administration and diplomacy. Former Minister of the Interior (2006-2010) and recently Minister of National Education, Preschool Education and Sports (since 2021), he also chaired the Special Commission on the Development Model (2019), where he developed a framework of economic and social reforms for a more inclusive and prosperous Morocco.
Benmoussa’s appointment comes at a time when the HCP is finalizing the analysis of 2024 census data, a strategic tool to guide public policies and anticipate the country’s future challenges, particularly in terms of employment, housing and infrastructure. His diverse background, both in the public and private sectors, makes him a leading candidate to ensure the continuity of the modernization work started by Lahlimi and to breathe new life into the HCP in the years to come.
