Chairman’s Message

The annual report of the National Authority for Probity Prevention

and Fight against Corruption, for the year 2022, is issued at a turning
point marking the end of the exceptional transition period, which was
initiated in the aftermath of the Royal appointment, by which I was
honored in December 2018, to hold the responsibility of President
of this constitutional institution. Inspired by the high guidance of
His Majesty the King Mohammed VI may God assist Him, and his

against corruption in our country, the Authority’s endeavors during

this period were devoted to establishing the framework and basis
for forthcoming anti-corruption actions. Based on a global vision, this work is intended to lead
to a new era of sustained, inclusive, and sustainable development, free from the harmful effects
of corruption.

Morocco, that will bring a profound change capable of bending the curve of this scourge, the
Authority’s efforts to redraft its legal framework, as well as the other areas of action launched
over the past four years, have taken into account the scope and complexity of its mission,
including the needs in regard to mobilization, involvement, and coordination, within a framework
of institutional complementarity and strong linkage between the roles and responsibilities of
the different actors involved in this process of reform and action, decisive for the future of our
country.

around the same strategic orientations, coordination with the relevant stakeholders, and the

against corruption.

Based on this same frame of reference and in compliance with the letter and spirit of law 46-19,
the Authority has, during this period of transition, set out the foundations of the abovementioned
strategic orientations of the State’s policy on preventing and combating corruption, backing
them up with opinions and recommendations, which arise from the global vision for a profound
change capable of generating the expected impact, and which is noticeable by as many

involvement in the overall dynamic.

This is particularly relevant as the phenomenon of corruption is spreading, in a context

characterized by a paradox where expectations of institutions to take effective action against
this scourge are becoming pressing, while trust is being eroded. A context in which the values
of probity and a shared awareness of the damage and consequences of corruption, both
individually and collectively, are increasingly weakened.

Annual report 2022: Executive summary

All these factors combined, reinforce the Authority’s belief in the need to accelerate the shift to

than ever, all the ingredients to establish a vision that is as ambitious as it is realistic, within the
framework of a new-generation strategy that capitalizes on and promotes achievements and

desired change, fully assuming all of its responsibilities, particularly with the beginning of the
normal period pursuant to the entry into force of Law 46-19. Even though the Authority is
fully aware that its constitutional role of orientation, supervision, and coordination is central,
the challenge for our country can only be overcome through a broad and strong mobilization,
within a framework of synergy, institutional complementarity, and articulation of roles and
responsibilities.

It is under these terms that, in this complex domain, given its nature and the multiplicity of
stakeholders, we will incorporate the principle of seriousness, as called for by His Majesty,

corruption a national priority, while being sure not to reproduce the results of past experiences.

Mohammed Bachir RACHDI

Chairman of the National Authority for Probity
Prevention and Fight Against Corruption

Annual report 2022: Executive summary

 Executive summary

The 2022 annual report of the National Authority for Probity, Prevention and Fight against

exceptional transitional period that lasted until October 2022. It was particularly shaped by
the INPPLC’s efforts, under the authority and responsibility of its President, to accompany the
establishment of its legal framework and implement its strategic and organizational reference
framework as well as its operational structures. Simultaneously, the Authority has initiated at this
phase a set of projects to deepen the objective understanding of corruption and its manifestations.
These projects were the basis for the Authority’s proposals and recommendations to bring about

phase effectively began on October 24th of the same year following the appointment of the
Authority’s Members and its Secretary-General and the establishment of its governing bodies.
This ensured that each body of the Authority could carry out its duties, as outlined in Law no.
46.19, and by the requirements of joint action and institutional and functional complementarity
between INPPLC and relevant authorities and institutions.

In this unique context, the current report aims to achieve multiple objectives that provide insight
into the transition towards the new phase. It builds on the accomplishments of the transitional
phase, which served as a founding stage, and aims to grant itself its constitutional and legal
status as a :

repository for the Authority’s annual activities,

tangible expression of its status as an institution with its independent entity and
discourse within the national institutional framework,

constitutional mechanism through which the INPPLC exercises its key role in preventing
and combating corruption. That role encompasses all aspects of diagnosis, monitoring,
assessment, proposals and recommendations, inquiries and investigations, and
referrals to law enforcement authorities.

Such coordination guarantees the complementarity of efforts from all involved authorities and
institutions. The report also aims to recognize the value of work based on programming, planning,
and objective targeting of programs and projects that have a tangible impact. It strengthens the
process of recommendations and proposals while developing mechanisms to ensure positive
responsiveness from the respective authorities and institutions.

Furthermore, this report reinforces an institutional discourse characterized by its:

Objectivity based on the development and diversity of diagnosis,

behind shortcomings to provide viable alternatives;

Discourse based on deepening studies and research as part of the thematic reports
released within the annual report or independently.

Annual report 2022: Executive summary

Moreover, the report aims to enlighten public opinion on the Authority’s collective decision-
making process, highlighting the INPPLC’s institutional governance, and therefore safeguards
the Authority’s independence and consolidates the legitimacy and effectiveness of its decisions.

In response to these objectives, this report that covers the efforts of the Authority in 2022, was
prepared in virtue of the provisions of Article 50 of the law n° 46.19 on the INPPLC and includes
the following axes:

I. First axis: Assessment of Corruption Status:

In this report, The INPPLC monitored the development of corruption at international, regional,
and national levels. It based its diagnosis on the study and analysis of various sources, including
relevant international and national indexes and reports. Finally, the diagnosis draws on the
results of the national survey launched by the Authority’s Observatory in 2022 in its section
concerning citizens living in Morocco and Abroad.

In this respect, the Authority draws attention to the fact that the indexes and other data sources
used to measure the perception of corruption continue to be the primary tool for monitoring
this phenomenon and measuring its spread at a global level since no other alternative tool
has been successfully adopted. Even though the results of these indexes and sources are

groups perceive corruption practices. Therefore, the Authority channeled its efforts towards the
continuous development of diagnostic and research tools to deepen its knowledge about the
different aspects of corruption and thus will improve corruption control through appropriate
preventive and anti-corruption policies and measures.

1. The international level:

The 2022 Corruption Perception Index revealed that corruption levels have remained largely

global average score remained unchanged at 43 out of 100 for the eleventh consecutive year.
Moreover, over two-thirds of countries (68%) scored below 50 out of 100.

Data extracted from 180 countries, mainly highlight the high average scores of Western Europe
and the European Union, against the declining ranking of sub-Saharan Africa. The CPI highlighted

of global peace, countries with high levels of violence and instability have also scored very low
on the CPI. The index also revealed that developed economies are complicit in receiving illicit

To address these dilemmas, the CPI recommended strengthening institutions, prioritizing

transparency, oversight, and the full, and meaningful engagement of civil society. It also advised
countries to clamp down on corporate secrecy, foreign bribery, and professional enablers. The
CPI also urged countries to take advantage of new ways of collaboration to ensure the effective

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The Authority noted that the results of the CPI 2022 on the connection between the rising level
of corruption and the deterioration of global peace intersect with the results of the Global Peace
Index. This year’s GPI results stated that the average level of global peacefulness deteriorated

Likewise, the CPI results intersect with the results of the freedom indicators used in the Freedom

year in a row and that democracy is also threatened in several regions throughout the globe.

2. The regional level:

The INPPLC found that the Middle East and North Africa region, with an overall CPI score of
38/100 in 2022, still undergoes a failure in the changes introduced more than a decade ago,
leading to widespread civil unrest and instability and fueling political corruption.

In this regard, the INPPLC noted that out of 21 Arab countries, only three scored 50 or above on

ranking.

The Authority realized that the connection between the rising level of corruption in this region

At the African level, with an average score of 32 out of 100, the Authority found that Sub-Saharan
Africa ranked sixth and last in the CPI 2022. Apart from the high scores achieved by Seychelles

of African countries fell below a score of 50.

During its analysis of the rise of corruption in Africa, the CPI 2022 found that the multiple crises
that threaten security stability and democracy hurt corruption. The Freedom in the World Report

corruption, and mismanagement all continue to impede the process of reinforcing democracy
in Africa. According to the FIW Report, which has led to a decline in the level of enjoyment of
freedom.

3. The national level:

point drop over the past four years. The decline began in 2018 when Morocco scored 43/100,
then fell by two points in 2019, with a score of 41/100. A year later, the score declined to 40/100,
then to 39/100 in 2021.

The Authority also highlighted that Morocco ranked ninth among Arab countries. It followed

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Bahrain, outpacing twelve (12) other Arab countries. Within Africa, Morocco held a mid-level
rank and was surpassed by eleven (11) other African countries.

MENA region, the democratic decline, and the restriction of political rights and civil liberties
comply with the results of the FIW Report. These results stressed Morocco’s negative response to

and Government Integrity components of the Rule of Law, emanating from the Index of Economic

also echo these negative results.

The INPPLC also tracked the evolution of corruption at the national level using the Arab Barometer
VII Morocco Report released in October 2022. This Report emphasized the enduring prevalence
of corruption and the increase in perceived levels of corruption among poor, vulnerable,
and marginalized communities, which indicates that they are the ones who bear the brunt
of corruption. The Arab Barometer indicated that the manifestations of corruption are more
tangible through the rights denied to these communities, notably access to quality education,
decent housing, healthcare and other fundamental rights.

Regarding prosecutions, the Authority based its analysis on the 2021 report from the Presidency

following denunciations received through the dedicated hotline. These cases concern several

and Transport, and private sector employees.

As for corruption cases given to Financial Crimes Departments, the 2021 report from the

cases was 1486.

While monitoring the scarcity of prosecutions in corruption cases, the Authority emphasized
the need to overcome the constraints preventing stakeholders from actively denouncing and

about corruption and its impact on individuals and communities. It also demands providing
whistleblowers with protection guarantees to motivate and shield them from potential harm.

As regards Financial judiciary, the INPPLC observed that 104 judgments on budgetary and

cases were associated with enforcement and revenue collection, the execution of delegated
management contracts, failure to comply with regulations on public expenditure and public

these concern mainly breach of the principle of equal treatment and fair competition on

Annual report 2022: Executive summary

manipulation, the diversion of public assets for personal purposes and the acquisition of
equipment in the absence of real need.

Also, the Authority expressed concerns over the small number of cases relating to budgetary

issue that has been raised on several occasions by the Court of Audits since the entry into force
of its law.

Furthermore, the Authority praised the approach of the Presidency of the Public Prosecutor’s

discipline or de facto provision, to the Financial Courts.

In order to deepen the objective knowledge about corruption at the national level, the Authority
has updated its analysis of the indicators beyond CPI. The updated analysis shows that between

by nine (9) points in 2022 compared to 2020, from 52 to 43 points. In addition, Morocco’s score

of Corruption”.

To highlight Morocco’s decline in the V-Dem indices and indicators, the study noted the declines

points, the Executive Corruption Index with a decline of 10 points, the indicator for Legislative

4. Results of the National Research on Corruption: Moroccan citizens and

expatriates:

The national research builds on the Authority’s conviction of the importance of precise and
objective knowledge of corruption. Enhancing such knowledge guarantees the acquisition

analysis methods, combined with the current perception indicators.

In this regard, the Authority conducted the second edition of the National Research on Corruption.
The research collected data using a Moroccan citizens’ and expatriates’ opinion survey and
another survey focused on companies.

citizens and expatriates. Most prominent data indicate that corruption was citizens’ sixth main
concern and expatriates’ third main concern.

As for the prevalence of corruption, citizens respondents believed that its level remained
high and that its intensity varied depending on sectors. The Public Health sector was the
most vulnerable to corruption, followed by political parties, then by the parliament, and the
unions. According to the survey, corruption was also widespread in the public sector regarding

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employment and appointment of employees, career development, social allowances, licenses
and permits attribution , and exceptional authorizations.

For real corruption’s experience, it appears that one out of every four citizens in the survey
population had, or at least one of their relatives, been victims of corruption during the research

Police, the public health sector, justice, the private sector for the housing and urban development
and real estate, and Caïdats and Pachaliks.

Regarding the reasons behind corruption, the respondents perceived the desire for quick
enrichment, slow and complex procedures, lack of the spirit of citizenship, weak moral compass,
low wages, poverty, lack of oversight and accountability, and absence of penalties. Meanwhile,
the respondents considered that social inequality, impoverishment of the State, decline in
purchasing power, and poverty were harmful impacts of corruption prevalence.

Compared to the citizens’ experience with corruption and their perception of its prevalence, the

of corruption and its prevalence, the uselessness of complaints and denunciations, and the
fear of retaliation.

Regarding the State’s efforts in combatting and preventing corruption, a wide range of citizens

including the National Anti-Corruption Strategy, remain ineffective. Citizens believe that the
most critical measures to combat corruption effectively are enforcing anti-corruption laws,
educating and raising awareness, strengthening oversight and control, facilitating denunciation,
and protecting whistleblowers and witnesses.

The Authority drew conclusions and general orientations from the analysis and intersection
of different corruption diagnosis stages. These conclusions and orientations result from
extrapolating Morocco’s corruption status according to different indices and indicators. They
are also based on highlighting the intersection between the worsening state of corruption and
the decline recorded by several international reports in areas of peace and security, political
and civil rights, the rule of law, and rights to participating in budget preparation and execution.

eroding development, impeding production structures, and deepening economic and social

and 2022 reports. Throughout these reports, the Central Bank has insisted again for the need to
review the approaches adopted to date and to introduce stronger and more decisive measures.

This demand corresponds to the Authority’s emphasis, since 2019, on the importance of

foster a dynamism that achieves tangible results in the daily lives of citizens, investors, and
economic and social stakeholders. The Authority advocates using diagnosis, orientation, and

Authority declares its readiness to operate within a synergy and institutional complementarity
framework to make this transition successful.

Annual report 2022: Executive summary

 II. Second axis: Follow up on the implementation, coordination, and
assessment of strategies and public policies:

This axis deals with the Authority’s efforts in accompanying the National Anti-Corruption Strategy
by identifying its strengths and weaknesses. It also focuses on the Authority’s contribution to
the process of drafting the Strategy for the Improvement of the Business Environment for 2023-
2026.

1. The National Anti-Corruption Strategy: Achievements, weaknesses, and

ways to boost dynamism

In this regard, the Authority recorded the progress made on a set of projects within the ten strategy
programs. These include improving citizen service delivery, digitizing administrative services,
transparency and access to information, ethics, oversight and accountability, strengthening
prosecutions and injunctions, improving the public procurement system, enhancing private
sector integrity, communication and awareness, and education and training.

The Authority highlights that despite such achievements, the strategy’s objectives still need
to be met and are probably out of reach, as demonstrated via the decline in several relevant
international indicators.

awaited impact and changing Morocco’s corruption tendency. The INPPLC observed the weak
mobilization of the relevant stakeholders, and the poor coordination and monitoring of programs
and projects. There is also the dominance of sectorial management over coordinated planning.
Other areas for improvement include methodological prioritizing based on a comprehensive
impact assessment study. There is also the need for better readability of the budget allocated
to the Strategy. Another weakness is the lack of an appropriate communication plan that would
lend credibility to the implemented policies and mobilize citizens, economic and other actors.
Another factor behind the underachievement of the Strategy’s objectives is the predominance
of legislative measures in Morocco, with a lack of necessary regulatory texts that ensure their

The Authority carried out an in-depth analysis of priority projects to overcome these weaknesses
and improve the effective implementation of the National Anti-Corruption Strategy projects.
It issued recommendations to enhance the current achievements or redirect efforts where
necessary. Moreover, the INPPLC suggested institutionalizing program coordination through
a framework of collaboration, consultation, and complementarity. This framework comprises
the INPPLC, the government, and all the institutions and stakeholders involved in national
strategies and public policies. The INPPLC also suggested the revision of the decree on the
National Anti-Corruption Commission. This revision aims to ensure the decree’s compliance
with the Constitutional provisions on those related to the 19.46 In this regard, the INPPLC also

With the aim of enriching and vetting the programs of the Strategy, the INPPLC has recommended
developing or updating corruption risks mapping in public administrations, particularly the

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highly vulnerable ones. This recommendation targets priority measures and projects that
strongly impact citizens and economic actors. The Authority also encouraged consolidating a

enhancing assessment methods and broadening the scope of assessment to include

effective implementation, relevance, coherence, and impact measurement. The INPPLC also
called for following up this dynamism with a communication plan to ensure the credibility of
communication and avoid any discrepancies between the discourse and the actual stakeholders’
real situation.
In general, the Authority suggests the development, both in terms of methodology and practice,
of a system that evaluates the Strategy, establishes the preliminary foundations for analysis,
and sets impact assessment’s indicators.

2. The 2026-2023 roadmap of the National Business Environment Committee

to improve business environment

The Committee was open to suggestions from relevant national institutions that can enrich
the roadmap draft. It warmly welcomed the Authority’s proposals on the importance of a close
relationship between the business environment, the quality of governance, and the country’s
institutional environment. The INPPLC also suggested that this relationship requires simplifying
procedures, and overcoming obstacles that hinder investors and entrepreneurs from developing

The Committee welcomed INPPLC’s proposal to reinforce the strategy with a fourth cross-cutting
pillar on «ethics, probity and the prevention of corruption», in addition the initial ones, namely:

Improving the structural conditions for investment and entrepreneurship;

Supporting national competitiveness;

Developing an appropriate environment for entrepreneurship and innovation.

The Authority suggested an action plan with to comply with the Anti-bribery management

guidelines), and to raise awareness and support public and private sector actors. Moreover, they

III. Third axis. The Authority’s institutional governance: launching its

bodies’ and their collective decision-making process:

The report recalls the provisions of law n° 46.19 related to its institutional governance and roles
among its bodies (The Council, the President assisted by the Secretary-General and the standing
and Ad-hoc committees). The report also describes the appointment process of the Authority’s
members and their legal oath-taking. Additionally, the report presents an operational review of
the INPPLC’s activities.

Annual report 2022: Executive summary

 1. The Authority’s institutional governance rules:

effectiveness, and legitimacy in decision-making, aligned with the principle of safeguarding the
Authority’s independence. It also complies with the requirements of impartiality and neutrality.

and within a deliberation process that guarantees impartiality and objectivity.

In this regard, the law based on principles of responsibility and separation of the missions
related to orientation, approval, and oversight on the one hand and execution, management,
and achievement on the other one. According to the law, the Authority’s Council, consisting
of the President and twelve (12) members, exercises broad powers. These powers include
orienting, deliberating, studying, approving, issuing opinions, and following up on the outcomes
of implementing its directives and decisions.

Besides the usual duties of the presidency, namely those related to the management of the Authority’s
President of the
Authority is in charge of proposing projects to the Board for approval, coordinating the Authority’s
governing bodies. Also, the Executive Committee, a standing committee made up of the President
and three Vice-Presidents appointed by the Council among its members, is responsible for self-
referrals and corruption cases decisions. The committee also examines and makes decisions on
all issues submitted by the President. The Council may establish standing or Ad-hoc committees
to study and suggest orientations and accompany the progress of work on assigned topics. In
addition, under the authority of the President, the Secretary-General of the Authority supervises its
administrative structures and assists the President in performing his duties.

The report refers to the requirements adopted by the Rules of Procedure to implement
the relevant provisions of the law, in particular, the need for a precise blend between the
necessities of effective participation of all the Authority’s components, on the one hand, and
the coordination and complementarity between these components, on the other. The adopted
requirements lay the foundations for fostering the dynamism of deliberational undertaking of
the missions of the Authority, enabling it to achieve its strategic goals. These requirements also
safeguard the performance of the Authority’s bodies in carrying out the Authority’s missions,
with rules of institutional governance based on responsibility, commitment, complementarity,
and cooperation while preserving the areas of expertise of each body.

2. Founding stages of the Authority’s bodies:

on the same day, wherein the Council was inaugurated, and a press conference organized. The
report also addresses the second stage related to appointing the three Vice-Presidents at the
third meeting held on December 16th , 2022, immediately after the approval of the Authority’s
Rules of Procedure. The report also highlight the third stage, related to the creation of standing

committees were created to work on various areas related to the Authority’s missions and
powers.

Annual report 2022: Executive summary

 3. 2022 operational review of the Authority’s bodies:

measures required to establish the foundations for the functioning of the Authority. These
include approving the Authority’s organizational chart, including six directorates, covering the
Authority’s core missions, assisted by three supporting directorates. The Council also discussed

Council approved the Authority’s Rules of Procedure after in-depth discussions at its second
and third sessions. Likewise, the Council approved the Authority’s Staff Regulations, which the

the Council approved the MoU with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and
Moroccan Expatriates. The agreement ensures that the scope of consultation and coordination

dimension of the Authority’s missions and competencies.

The report states that the Executive Committee, comprising the President and three Vice-
Presidents, established its fundamental working mechanisms despite the limited time between
its appointment on December 16th , 2022, and the end of that year. These mechanisms include

Thematic Committees and the Authority’s administrative structures. Concerning its powers in
relation with complaints and denunciation, the Committee received about twenty requests at
that short period, most of them fell outside the scope of the Authority, as were tied to ongoing
court cases, or cases that had received a court judgment.

The report emphasizes that in 2022, the standing thematic committees focused on determining
and organizing mechanisms and means to manage their relationship with the Authority’s
administrative structures and the Executive Committee. In this context, they discussed a range
of topics, including the National Integrity Portal (PNI), strategic vigilance, evaluation of the
National Anti-Corruption Strategy, and aspects related to education, training and interaction
with citizens. Furthermore, the committees discussed the Authority’s views on the draft Code of
Criminal Procedure, the system of mandatory declaration of assets, and the system of framing

compliance with the rationales behind the provisions of law no. 46.19 which aims at safeguarding
the governance of managing different bodies of the Authority and putting to action their joint
decision-making process in line with the requirements of complementarity, harmony, and the
balanced and responsible engagement of all the components of the Authority.

IV. Fourth axis: The Authority’s Functional activities and promotion of

support capacities

support its internal capacities. It also worked on setting the objective conditions to foster the
dynamism of its powers. In this context, the INPPLC implemented and strengthened its operating
mechanisms and pillars that have strategic, organizational, and functional aspects. These efforts
focused, mainly on:

Annual report 2022: Executive summary

 1. Implementing the Authority’s strategy and developing its action plan:

The Authority has developed a strategic framework for its action based on the strategic

on the Authority’s missions and key roles. This strategic framework comprises six intertwined
axes. These include deepening knowledge of corruption, legal vigilance, proposing strategic

and training and motivation, monitoring and investigation and disclosure of acts of corruption,
and national and international partnership and cooperation. The Authority supported these
six axes with two cross-cutting axes : information systems and innovation and research and
development, and organization and execution and capacity building.

programs and projects needed to achieve them. This approach has provided the Authority with
an integrated and coherent action plan, enabling a clear medium-term vision (2023-2025) and
detailed planning for 2023.

2. Initiatives to implement national, regional, and international partnership

and cooperation:

During 2022, the Authority strengthened its relations with the relevant international authorities

institutions, as administrations, oversight bodies, the private sector, civil society, and relevant
international institutions.

In this respect, the Authority implemented various initiatives to strengthen cooperation with

Authority organized a workshop on the impact of corruption on the development of the private
sector in Morocco.

Besides cooperating with the business sector in 2022, the Authority consolidated its engagement
in the international and regional dynamic to prevent and combat corruption. It participated in
the sessions of the Implementation Review Group that oversees the UNCAC review process and
was part of the review cycle of the States of Libya and Singapore. The Authority also took part in

2024.

Also, the INPPLC maintained its collaboration with the Organization for Economic Co-operation

meeting of anti-corruption law enforcement agencies within the Organization of Islamic

Cooperation (OIC) member states. The meeting adopted the «Mecca Convention on Cooperation
between the Anti-Corruption Law Enforcement Authorities of the Member States of the
Organization of Islamic Cooperation».

Following the Authority’s request for openness to the Civil and Criminal Law Conventions of

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these two conventions. This process paves the way for Morocco’s membership in the Group of
States against Corruption (GRECO). Also, the INPPLC was re-elected as a member of the Executive
Committee of the International Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities (IAACA). Moreover,
Morocco was re-elected, in the person of the Authority’s President, as vice-president of the
Council of Europe’s Network of Corruption Prevention Authorities (NCPA). The INPPLC is also
an active member of the Riyadh Global Initiative (GLOBE), an initiative for a global operational
network of anti-corruption law enforcement authorities.

To strengthen its presence at the international level, the INPPLC took part in the 20th International
Anti-Corruption Conference that Transparency International organized in Washington, D.C. The

Sector Governance (DCAF).

Under the high patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI and as part of South-South

organization «#StopCorruption», and in partnership with the International University of Rabat,

an international conference on «Good governance and its role in development and response
to youth expectations in Africa» was organized, with the participation of national, African, and

3. The foundations for promoting the Authority’s Communication Strategy:

As part of its missions, The INPPLC prepared the general guidelines for its communication

identity, along with its chart of values, namely : the rule of law, respect, openness, innovation,
transparency, and ethics.

The year 2022 was characterized by the launching of consultations with digital communication
agencies to enhance the Authority’s communication strategy and prepare for its implementation.
This digital communication would enable the Authority to strengthen its presence, openness,
and interaction with Internet users. It would also provide the Authority with a platform to carry
out its mission of communication, awareness-raising, motivation, and dissemination of integrity
and good governance values. Furthermore, digital communication would lay the ground for the
interaction of target groups with the content offered by the Authority.

The Authority also redesigned its website to meet the requirements of its new graphic charter.
This development included the addition of new functions, such as a hyperlink to the corruption
denunciation platform, connection to social media platforms, proactive publishing into the web
design, new publications and reports and other materials.

4. Updating the Authority’s Digital Transformation Strategy:

As part of its 2023-2025 Digital Strategy, the Authority has reviewed its digital transformation
strategy based on seven integrated axes. These include establishing information systems
related to the core business of the Authority, developing information systems necessary to
achieve the internal digital transformation of the Authority, enhancing digital communication

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and presence, improving the digital infrastructure, enhancing digital security, promoting digital
resources and capabilities, and ensuring maintenance and support for users.

The Authority also subscribed to a monitoring softwares for websites and social media, and
established a system to submit complaints, denunciations, and information related to acts of
corruption, in partnership with the Digital Development Agency (ADD).

5. Strengthening the Authority’s support capacities:

In 2022, the Authority resumed its efforts to reinforce its human resources and improve its

of the Budget, the Authority submitted its staff regulations to the Council for approval. Besides,
the Authority met its human resources needs through secondment. It has also recruited new

of mechanisms for a smooth staff transition from the Central Authority for the Prevention of
Corruption to the INPPLC based on staff integration requests.

the amount of 45 Million MAD and budgets allocated to investment amounting to 25 Million
MAD. The 2022 budget was developed taking into consideration that the entry into force and
implementation of the law 46-19 occurred at the beginning of the same year. This situation
should have been accompanied by the appropriate efforts to accelerate the pace of projects,
especially investment projects. However, these efforts took place towards the end of 2022,
preventing the Authority from fully implementing its plans. Hence, the total amount of the

Regarding the Authority’s purchases for 2022, they include all types of public procurement,
such as public contracts, agreements, common law contracts, and purchase orders, with an
amount of 2 439 865,13 MAD.

In this regard, the Authority concluded three new contracts amounting to 214 859,44 MAD
in 2022. Logistic contracts represented 63% of the overall expenditures on agreements and
common law contracts. As far as purchase orders are concerned, twenty orders had been
concluded, in 2022, with an amount of 386 650,33 MAD. Moreover, the annual subsidy paid to
the Social Welfare Association of the Authority’s Employees, amounted to 540 000 MAD.

at 9%, while other expenditures represented 15%.

V. Fifth axis: The Authority’s recommendations and proposals: active

responsiveness as part of institutional convergence and complementarity

The Authority recals the methodological mechanisms governing its powers in drafting and
submitting recommendations and proposals, including the legal, operational, and procedural
standards that ensure an effective response to its proposals. Afterwards, the report presented
an overview of the following topics:

Annual report 2022: Executive summary

 1. General framework of the strategic orientations: vision, foundations, and
general objectives:

pillars:

a. Education, training, and enhancing probity and responsible governance values;

b. Implementing an approach driven by transparency and quality of public services;

c. Promoting public and private partnerships to improve the business environment;

d. Adopting laws to deter corruption hotbeds;

e. Restoring thrust to create a wider social motivation and involvement in combatting

corruption.

f.

The Authority pointed out that the public policies and measures taken by various stakeholders
in relation to these pillars contribute to the achievement of the orientations and the emanating
strategic objectives and policies. The success of these objectives and policies also depends on
a tight and coherent supervision carried by the Authority, in virtue of its mandate.

2. Follow up on the impact of the annual report recommendations

The report reveales that all the included proposals and recommendations are made on the
basis of a comprehensive and integrated perspective, with the aim to enshrining prevention,
awareness, motivation, and combat, in the prospects of moving to the implementation stage,
within a framework of institutional cooperation and complementarity as essential factors to
achieve the desired change.

However, the 2020 and 2021 annual reports highlighted the limited feedback of the stakeholders
to the Authority’s various recommendations, except for the partial response to the Authority’s
recommendations on the revision of the National Anti-Corruption Strategy. The reports also
pointed out the positive feedback of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and
Moroccan Expatriates, with the recommendation on coordination and cooperation concerning
the Authority’s missions with an international dimension.

Meanwhile, the 2022 report considers that the weak responsiveness to the recommendations
is due to the transitional stage preceding the entry into force of law 46.19. Therefore, the
report insists on the need for objective conditions to take corrective action and remedy the
situation. This, in turn, will enable the Authority to fully implement available mechanisms in
order to coordinate and guarantee the involvement of all the stakeholders within institutional
cooperation and complementarity. In this respect, the report noted the willingness of the Head
of the government to open available channels for interaction with these recommendations.

Aware of the relevance of its previous reports’ recommendations and proposals, the Authority
devoted a section of this report to reiterate their core:

Strategic recommendations that aim at preparing the surroundings for preventing

and combatting corruption. These include the recommendations presented during the

Annual report 2022: Executive summary

 contribution to the preparation for the new development model. They also include the
recommendations about the National Anti-Corruption Strategy;

Recommendations related to the transparency and quality of public services. These

include the Authority’s suggestions on the public services charter, the draft code of
conduct and ethics for civil servants in public administration and local authorities
and public institutions, and the law on simplifying administrative procedures. These
recommendations also cover the Authority’s vision for digital transformation and its
role in promoting transparency and combatting corruption;

Recommendations that aim at building trust and guaranteeing broad involvement and
motivation. These include setting conditions for citizens’ commitment and enhancing
their role in preventing and combatting corruption. The recommendations also
comprise monitoring the relationship between corruption and human rights. They also
include recommendations that aim at supporting the full implementation and reform
of Law 13-31 on the right of access to information;

Recommendations to deter corruption hotbeds. These comprise proposals included

Recommendations intended to create an adequate environment for deterrence and

whistleblowing system and the protection of whistleblowers. They also comprise

recommendations to strengthen the mechanism for institutional referral of crimes and
acts of corruption. Moreover, they include revising the Criminal Code to comply with
the requirements of combatting corruption.

3. Recommendations for establishing cooperation and institutional

The report emphasize that the Authority’s collaboration and coordination efforts rest on principles
that aim at motivating and involving the relevant authorities and institutions. These efforts
also rely on the principle of openness to all stakeholders, and on distinguishing between main
and cross-cutting missions and sectoral missions. The Authority is also keen on selecting the
appropriate form of the required coordination and is responsible for monitoring and evaluating
the approved coordination. The Authority stressed that the cooperation initiatives suggested in
this section are open to discussion with stakeholders. Thus reinforcing the collective involvement

axes. These include strategic missions, missions of follow-up on the impact of the Authority’s
recommendations and proposals, missions of diagnosis and deepening of corruption knowledge,
missions of compliance with international conventions and standards, and missions of
conducting research and investigation.

Strategy, based on the revision of the decree on the National Anti-Corruption Commission,

Annual report 2022: Executive summary

to improve the Commission’s governance and guarantee the strategy’s implementation in

bodies. The Authority suggested the enhancement of cooperation and coordination in missions
of diagnosing and deepening knowledge on corruption and its various interactions.

The INPPLC also suggested opening up channels of coordination with the government, relevant
sectors, the two chambers of Parliament and their relevant commissions, with regard to
cooperation and coordination in following up on the impact of the Authority’s recommendations
and proposals.

Furthermore, the Authority called for establishing a coordination channel with the legislative
branch to strengthen cooperation and coordination on the compliance with international
conventions and standards. Last but not least, the INPPLC believes it is important to establish

cooperation concerning the Authority’s missions in terms of investigations and referrals.

To establish cooperation and coordination mechanisms with the institutions mentioned above,
the INPPLC developed practical projects open to discussion, adaptation and enrichment by the
stakeholders, with the aim of better framing the scope and extent of this cooperation. To achieve

to other stakeholders in the future.

4. Recommendations to strengthen the Authority’s proposal pathway

To support the proposals that aim to enhance the path of qualitative transition in the prevention

as follows:

This report highlights the strong relationship between digital transformation and transparency,

Based on international experiences, benchmarks, and analysis of the situation of digital

transformation in Morocco, and with regard to the challenges facing the country, this report
provides for a number of recommendations aiming to promote digital transformation and make
it a key pillar of preventing and combatting corruption. These recommendations concern three
levels: 1) the prerequisite strategic framework, 2) three sets of recommendations with high

include making digital transformation citizen-oriented and trust-based, enabling it to structure

and guide fundamental reforms, and making it a provider of Open Data, and 3) the crucial
support, follow-up and change management.

With this in mind, the Authority stresses that the success of digital transformation depends on a
strategic framework, providing 1) high-level leadership to ensure the involvement, support and
commitment of the stakeholders at the national, regional and international levels, and ensure,

Annual report 2022: Executive summary

approach 2) a global and integrated vision, at the long-term for the digital transformation project
as well as for the impact driven projects in particular, and 3) strong governance structured

digital transformation citizen-oriented and making

this choice a core and unwavering principle. Henceforth, the report provides recommendations
on 1) adopting a citizen-oriented approach, 2) quality assurance and improvement of services,
and 3) developing digital integration.

On the other hand, the report stresses the importance of the contribution of digital
transformation to achieving structuring reforms that can bring about irreversible changes in

main domains of such reforms 1) simplifying procedures, 2) protection of public funds, public
budget transparency and business integrity, and 3) supporting digital trust and providing open
data.

The report also highlighted the need for a trust-based and open data provider digital
transformation. To do so, it recommends 1) enhancing digital trust, 2) providing open data, and
3) integrating technological development and innovation.

In addition to these three recommendations, which the Authority considers of great and direct
impact on preventing and combatting corruption, as well as those related to the strategic
framework, the report pointed out that the expected results cannot be achieved without support
measures and change management. These include 1) Promoting and developing human capital,
2) strengthening the regulatory and normative framework, and 3) launching awareness-raising
and communication campaigns in line with support measures required for the involvement of
all the stakeholders in the achievement of a digital transformation.

processing, and regulation

The Authority stresses the need for developing a coherent management system for dealing with

Efforts should also focus on implementing Morocco’s commitments to international and

regional anti-corruption conventions.

To this end, the report highlights relevant national legislative provisions and examines their

interests and its harmful aspects, based on relevant international standards.

As a result, the Authority concluded that the adoption of a comprehensive system for regulating,

framework that covers this matter through two main aspects: declaration, processing, review,
correction and settlement aspect, and that of monitoring, detection and offences sanctioning.

Annual report 2022: Executive summary

restrictions preventing the emergence of such situations, and drawing up a non-exhaustive list

The report also recommends the appointment of the National Authority for Probity, Prevention

participating in decision-making in all cases that could be relevant to or affect the interests of
the concerned person.

interest situations, namely those related to declarations in compliance with the law, and those
intended to inform the public of the actions and decisions made by the competent authority on

As for the monitoring, detection and sanctioning of offences, the report provides for proportionate

in cases where personal interests have been served at the expense of the public interest,

This thematic report is intended to spark greater interest in investigative journalism and to
promote its greater professionalism and responsibility. The report is based on a presentation
and analysis of the foundations of investigative journalism referring to its founding guidelines,
providing examples from around the world, as well as its purpose, development and challenges.
It also reviewed the current status quo of investigative journalism in Morocco, citing examples
of investigative journalism reports and the viewpoints of practitioners working on the issue of

years. Therefore, the report recommends the following:

Consolidate freedom of the press and publishing, in compliance with the law governing
the profession, to enable journalists to exercise their profession with professionalism

Enact the law on the rights of access to information to enable investigative journalists
to develop their hypothesis and carry out their surveys;

Recognize media as open channels for whistleblowing, supporting the reported content
as long as they contain well-founded allegations of suspicion. This means prioritizing
information, presuming the good faith of the whistleblower, and, where appropriate,
punishing cases where information is proven to be completely fake;

Encourage media companies in their efforts to develop an economic model independent

of capitalism control and its impact on journalistic independence and objectivity. This
support can vary depending on each situation;

Annual report 2022: Executive summary

Promote initial and continuous training in investigative journalism;

Encourage more experienced investigative journalists to share their experience with

and train the new generations of journalists, as a means of furthering expertise in this
domain and extending knowledge transfer;

Enable collaboration and coordination between media and civil society organizations
to promote investigative journalism in cases of major societal importance, especially
cases involving corruption.

Annual report 2022: Executive summary