Kicking off on September 1: Here’s how much the General Population Census will cost

This envelope represents 67% of the total budget allocated to the High Commission for Planning (HCP) during 2022-2025. During a press conference held this Thursday, August 29, 2024 in Rabat, the HCP indicated that this total budget during this period is estimated at 1.460 billion dirhams, including 970 million dirhams for compensation (i.e. 67% of the budget) and 200 million dirhams for the purchase of technical means (tablets) and the acquisition of logistics.

On this occasion, the High Commissioner for Planning, Ahmed Lahlimi, called, quoting King Mohammed VI, on Moroccans for general mobilization, from September 1, for the success of this census which aims to be “a national, sovereign operation with a Moroccan identity».

«We want a typically Moroccan census, neither American nor any other type. It is an apolitical census, neither right-wing nor left-wing, nor that of any government.“, stressed the head of the HCP during the press conference.

The total number of agents has been set at 50,000 elements spread over a total of 38,000 districts. These agents must collect general information mainly related to “to the individual’s access to school, health and social security, water, electricity, then the individual will be questioned about their level of education, their employment».

This is a collection of general information to better understand how Morocco “adapts to the achievement of the sustainable development goals advocated by the UN“, according to Ahmed Lahlimi. The information collected, he said, is “strictly confidential” The Central Commission of the HCP will have sole access to these indications.

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«The individual will not be asked about his salary or bank account and will not provide his national identity card.“, recalls Lahlimi. Just like “the person will not be questioned about their religious beliefs or individual freedoms“, added the High Commissioner for the plan.

The head of the HCP mentioned the high level of training and preparation of the 50,000 census agents. The latter are composed of 60% students, some with high degrees, 32% teachers and 5% civil servants. Among the census agents, 37% are women while 37% of the agents are young. The census, he said, moreover, will affect “all Moroccans residing in Morocco, in cities, countryside, industrial zones, hospitals, prisons, nomads and sedentary people».

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He went on to say that the agents were “carefully chosen and selected according to several criteria“, in response to Abdelilah Benkirane (the leader of the PJD who clumsily accused the HCP of mismanaging the casting of agents). The agents will be provided with “a location map and a route plan to successfully complete their mission».

Finally, the High Commissioner for Planning expressed his warm thanks to the Ministry of the Interior, the press, the walis and governors and the HCP executives, the other ministerial departments as well as the NGOs and the specialized international agencies of the UN for their support and their contribution to the success of the preparation of this general census, the 7th of its kind.