Moroccan SMEs Demand Inclusion in Social Dialogue, Criticize Exclusion

A significant segment of Morocco's business community, specifically small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), is voicing strong discontent over their systematic exclusion from national social dialogue initiatives. The Moroccan Network for SME Organizations has issued a direct appeal to the Prime Minister, urging his immediate intervention to establish a genuine and responsible dialogue that includes the true representatives of SMEs.

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SME organizations are demanding the urgent intervention of the Prime Minister to open a serious and responsible dialogue with the true representatives of SMEs, who continue to be systematically and unjustifiably excluded from social dialogue sessions, despite representing 90% of businesses in Morocco.

These organizations argue that their exclusion is not only unjustified but also a breach of representative justice, questioning the government's commitment to a truly participatory approach. They emphasize that SMEs constitute a staggering 90% of all businesses in Morocco, yet they are consistently sidelined in favor of larger, more established business confederations. This monopolization of economic representation, they contend, fails to reflect the diverse reality of Moroccan entrepreneurship and undermines the effectiveness of policies crafted without their input.

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Limiting dialogue to the 'patronat' is a behavior contrary to representative justice and questions the government's commitment to a truly participatory approach.

Rachid El Werdighi, president of the Moroccan Network for SME Organizations, highlighted that the social dialogue process has become another avenue where SMEs are overlooked. He lamented the reliance on the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises (CGEM) to shape government policies and programs directed at businesses, arguing that this approach fails to yield solutions suitable for the scale and specific needs of smaller enterprises. El Werdighi asserted that 'small business patrona' representatives are far better equipped to discuss the realities, constraints, and demands of this crucial economic segment.

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The continuation of the exclusion logic undermines confidence in the feasibility of social dialogue.

In response, a مسؤول (responsible official) from the CGEM stated that the government determines who is invited to social dialogue and that the CGEM simply responds to these invitations. The official further characterized the social dialogue as an institutional matter, questioning the logic of engaging in dialogue with entities representing an informal sector that does not contribute to taxes. This perspective underscores a clear divide between the government's approach, the established business elite, and the burgeoning SME sector, which feels its vital role in the Moroccan economy is being critically underestimated.

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Social dialogue is another station that excludes the participation of small enterprises and is content with relying on the representation of the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises in government policies directed at enterprises and the implementation of programs, which does not produce suitable formulas for the size of small enterprises.