In a recent episode of the program "Guest and Journey," we welcomed Jamal Aghmani, the former Moroccan Minister of Employment and Vocational Training, currently serving as an advisor in promoting social dialogue across various Mediterranean countries. During this engaging discussion, Aghmani revisited significant milestones from his personal and political career, reflecting on the political transformations in Morocco and the ensuing crisis of trust in political parties.
Aghmani used the title of his newly published memoir, "Today's Morocco is Not Yesterday's Morocco," as a springboard to discuss the shifts experienced in the country between his generation and the new ones. He clarified that his choice of this phrase, attributed to the late socialist leader Abderrahim Bouabid, carries a message of hope for reform and change. Furthermore, he emphasized that this statement reflects the transformations the nation has undergone while simultaneously delivering a message to reform opponents, indicating that Morocco is evolving and that the approach to the democratic experience must also adapt accordingly.
A New Generation of Moroccans with Distinct Aspirations
The former minister highlighted the disparities between his generation and the current Moroccan youth, recalling the significant changes that have impacted society, communication methods, and global connectivity. He noted that these shifts have altered the expectations and ambitions of the youth. Aghmani stated, "The current generation of Moroccan youth has new aspirations," urging Morocco to exert considerable effort to meet these ambitions, as the youth view the accomplishments achieved from a different perspective than previous generations.
Aghmani reflected on his childhood in a modest family in the capital, Rabat, where his father worked as a taxi driver, and his mother engaged in sewing and benefited from literacy programs. Despite limited resources, education was a central priority within the family. He remarked, "One of the hallmarks of our parents’ generation was their dedication to their children's education," recalling the crucial role his parents played in enabling their six children to pursue higher education.
The Moroccan University: A Foundational Institution for Elite Formation
Shifting from family to academia, Aghmani reminisced about his years studying at Mohamed V University in Rabat, during a time when Moroccan universities were limited yet served as vital spaces for intellectual, political, and cultural discourse. Aghmani was an active member of the National Union of Moroccan Students, a formative experience that he believes played a crucial role in shaping generations of officials and Moroccan elites. He emphasized, "The National Union of Moroccan Students was a genuine school," asserting that it produced not only political elites but also trade union, cultural, administrative, and media leaders. He noted that the decline of this role has had a visible impact on the broader landscape, contributing to the diminishing production of the elites that Morocco requires today.
When discussing the political leaders who defined his generation, Aghmani reflected on notable figures in the national movement and political arena, such as Abderrahim Bouabid and Abderrahman Youssoufi. He pointed out that the historical circumstances that shaped these leaders diverge significantly from today’s context. He remarked, "It is challenging today to cultivate elites like Abderrahman Youssoufi and Abderrahim Bouabid, among other national leaders," indicating that these figures navigated the phases of national movement, independence, state-building, and the entrenchment of democratic choices.
Abderrahman Youssoufi held a special place in Aghmani's testimony, as he acknowledged Youssoufi's significant transition from opposition to participation in public administration, affirming that "history attests that Abderrahman Youssoufi is one of the most prominent prime ministers in Morocco's history." Academically and intellectually, Aghmani also paid tribute to his professor, the late sociologist Mohammed Jassous, under whom he studied at the university and later encountered in political and community work. He described Jassous as practically one of the founders of the sociology school in Morocco, recalling his influence on generations of students and researchers.
Aghmani's political beginnings trace back to a young age when he engaged with the youth of the Socialist Union in the mid-1970s. Growing up in the Al-Qubbat neighborhood of Rabat, known for its sympathy towards the National Union of Popular Forces and later the Socialist Union, Aghmani's initial sympathies evolved into active political involvement. He described that era as fundamentally different from the present, stating: "We lived in a period when political struggle was arduous," particularly for a young man who chose to align with a leftist party.
Despite the significant differences between Morocco then and now, Aghmani believes that the transformation has not always reached the level that generations of activists aspired to, especially regarding the establishment of strong democratic institutions that earn citizens' trust.
The governmental experience marked another phase in Aghmani's career, during which he served as Minister of Employment and Vocational Training from 2007 to 2012. This transition to ministerial responsibilities posed a different question: how to translate political and social ideas and demands into actionable measures from within a position of authority? He recounted his thought process upon his appointment, pondering, "As a social democrat, what can I achieve in the fields of employment and vocational training?"
Reflecting on his five years in government, Aghmani acknowledged the challenges and achievements, particularly in a sector where the demands of trade unions and workers intersect with the expectations of employers, necessitating a continuous search for balance among the various stakeholders.
The discussion then shifted to the Moroccan political landscape in 2011 with the rise of the Justice and Development Party to government leadership, a decade-long tenure that marked a significant period in Moroccan political history. Evaluating this experience, Aghmani remarked: "Over the course of ten years, the outcomes have not met the expectations placed on the Justice and Development Party," recalling several issues that arose during that period, including pension reform and education. For the former minister, a decade in a position of responsibility was ample time to achieve more significant results in light of the expectations that accompanied the party's ascent to power.
The phenomenon of political migration in Morocco emerged as a focal point of the discussion, particularly given the impending legislative elections scheduled for late September 2026. Aghmani addressed the issue of candidates shifting from one party to another between elections, deeming that "political migration has become unacceptable in Morocco and disrupts the democratic experience," pointing out that citizens struggle to comprehend how a candidate who previously ran under a specific political banner transitions to another in subsequent elections. According to Aghmani, such practices undermine the image of political work and diminish its credibility, making political and party reform essential for restoring the political actor's role and the citizens' trust.
As the electoral campaign approaches, Aghmani expressed hope that it could serve as an opportunity to reconnect citizens with political engagement, stating: "I hope the electoral campaign will be an occasion to mobilize citizens, but through honest methods and tools, with transparent discourse and programs."
Aghmani expressed pride in several projects and approaches he implemented during his governmental tenure, particularly in vocational training and aligning training with the needs of economic and investment sectors. He highlighted vocational training initiatives in the automotive and aviation industries, asserting that the availability of qualified human resources has been a crucial factor in enhancing Morocco's attractiveness to foreign companies and investments. He identified "training and vocational education" as fundamental reasons for foreign investments in Morocco, recalling programs related to training for the automotive and aviation sectors. He also spoke about integrating gender perspectives within the ministry, noting the increased presence of women in leadership roles, stating, "When I entered the ministry, there was one female director out of eight; when I left, there were four female directors out of eight."
The conclusion of the episode was dedicated to the domain Aghmani continues to work in today, which is the promotion of social dialogue, leveraging his Moroccan experience to provide consultancy in multiple Arab countries. The former Moroccan minister believes that the Moroccan experience is unique in this regard, asserting that "Morocco is one of the distinguished Arab countries in institutionalizing social dialogue as a tool for consensus among social partners." He emphasized that institutionalizing social dialogue has become a necessity, requiring unions, employers, and the government to treat it as an essential component of managing economic and social issues, rather than merely a temporary mechanism for crisis resolution. Given the transformations in the world of work and the challenges posed by the Fourth Industrial Revolution, Aghmani believes that dialogue among various parties will be increasingly critical in the coming phase, urging that it be viewed as "one of the essential means for consensus and building the Morocco of tomorrow."
As reported by france24.com.
