Morocco digitalizing social protection delivery system with $70M from World Bank

The World Bank has approved $70 million for the Morocco Second Identity and Targeting for Social Protection project, aimed at taking the country’s social protection reforms to a new level.

The digital identity project is in place to, essentially, improve the country’s inclusive and adaptive social protection strategy through simplifying identification and authentication for social protection programs, by extending registry coverage to rural and remote areas.

The transformation is expected to improve the efficiency of at least five programs by the end of 2024 and expand to eight by 2028.

The project will also focus on addressing climate and socio-economic challenges by making social protection services more responsive and inclusive. The project also emphasizes strengthening existing systems and processes to ensure better inclusion, using insights to better user experience and decision-making.

“The World Bank is pleased to continue supporting the expansion of registries and their efficiency for better targeting and inclusion purposes,” says Ahmadou Moustapha Ndiaye, country director for the Maghreb and Malta at the World Bank.

“The digitalization of the social protection delivery system will not only improve the targeting of social protection programs but will also help to guarantee that the most vulnerable populations have an increased access to modernized social services through better use of data and digital technologies.”

The initiative builds on the successes of the earlier project, which established the National Population Registry, the Unified Social Registry, and enrolled nearly half of Morocco’s population. The new phase focuses on expanding access to social services, particularly for vulnerable households.

In 2017, The World Bank’s board of executive directors approved a $100 million loan to support Morocco’s Identity and Targeting for Social Protection project. The initiative aims to strengthen the country’s social protection framework by expanding the coverage of a Unique Identifying Number (UIN) system for Moroccan citizens and foreign residents.

The project’s initial focus was on improving the targeting and efficiency of Social Safety Nets (SSNs). Enhanced identity systems are expected to streamline access to essential social and financial services, particularly benefiting women by removing barriers to inclusion and economic participation.

By the end of 2024, the project aims to impact at least five social programs and expand to eight by 2028.

Article Topics

digital government  |  digital ID  |  digital identity  |  Morocco  |  social protection  |  Unique Identifying Number (UIN)  |  World Bank