Nador Port meeting chaired by King Mohammed VI held without Akhannouch

On Wednesday, January 28, King Mohammed VI convened a working session at the Royal Palace in Casablanca, focusing on the Nador West Med port and industrial complex, slated to begin operations in 2026. Notably, the head of government was absent from this significant meeting.

Aziz Akhannouch has been a regular attendee at key gatherings, such as the December 23, 2024, session on Family Code reforms and the February 16, 2022, meeting about the new Investment Charter.

The day prior, Akhannouch unveiled a book in Rabat detailing his accomplishments as head of the government. On Wednesday, he was engaged in chairing a meeting of the RNI's political bureau.

This absence echoes the January 8 meeting at the Ministry of the Interior, which was centered on tracking the progress of the advanced regionalization project. The year 2026, an election year, appears to mark the beginning of Aziz Akhannouch's step back from the political forefront.

As a reminder, the National Rally of Independents (RNI) is set to hold an extraordinary congress on February 7, where a new president will be elected. Mohamed Chouki is currently the sole candidate to succeed Aziz Akhannouch as the party leader.