1. Aziz Akhannouch is a Moroccan politician, businessman, and billionaire who is serving as the 17th Prime Minister of Morocco since his government took office on 7 October 2021.
29 Facts About Aziz Akhannouch
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Aziz Akhannouch is the CEO of Akwa Group and served as Minister of Agriculture from 2007 to 2021.
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Aziz Akhannouch's government has been additionally marked by inflation, as well as continued suppression of dissenting opinions.
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Aziz Akhannouch was born in 1961 in Tafraout and raised in Casablanca.
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Aziz Akhannouch comes from the Amazigh tribe of Souss of Ait Ammeln.
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In 1986, Aziz Akhannouch graduated from the Universite de Sherbrooke with a management diploma.
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Aziz Akhannouch is the CEO of Akwa Group, a Moroccan conglomerate particularly active in the oil and gas sector.
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From 2003 to 2007, Aziz Akhannouch was the president of the Souss-Massa-Draa regional council.
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Aziz Akhannouch was a member of the National Rally of Independents party, before leaving it on 2 January 2012.
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Aziz Akhannouch served as Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries between 2007 and 2021.
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On 27 July 2016, Aziz Akhannouch met with Jonathan Pershing, Special Envoy for Climate Change for the United States.
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On 29 October 2016, Aziz Akhannouch rejoined the RNI after being elected as president of the party.
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Aziz Akhannouch took over Salaheddine Mezouar's position, who had resigned following the 2016 general election.
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In March 2020, through his company Afriquia, a subsidiary of the Akwa group, Aziz Akhannouch donated roughly one billion dirhams to a COVID-19 pandemic management fund founded by King Mohammed VI.
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Aziz Akhannouch announced the formation of an official coalition government alongside the PAM and Istiqlal parties on 22 September 2021, thus officiating his status as prime minister-designate of Morocco.
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Since taking office, Aziz Akhannouch has represented King Mohammed VI at several foreign engagements and read speeches delivered by him during summits, including at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference.
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In late October 2021, Aziz Akhannouch was criticized by Moroccan citizens for wearing a pin of the MENA region that excluded Western Sahara while attending a Green Initiative event in Saudi Arabia.
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In September 2022, Aziz Akhannouch attended the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
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On 11 October 2022, Aziz Akhannouch met with Prince Guillaume, Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg along with his business partners in Rabat, in order to boost economic trade between Morocco and Luxembourg.
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On 1 February 2023, Aziz Akhannouch participated with Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez in the 12th edition of the Morocco-Spain High Level Meeting in Rabat, in which both countries signed a total of 19 bilateral agreements concerning a plethora of sectors.
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Aziz Akhannouch was the target of several accusations of corruption during his time as Minister of Agriculture.
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Aziz Akhannouch has been criticized over the suppression of dissenting opinions and imprisonment of opponents, alongside calls for an end to violations of freedom of speech and the right to peaceful demonstration.
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In 2017, Aziz Akhannouch sued three journalists from the Badil news site for having criticized him.
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Aziz Akhannouch demanded that they pay him one million dirhams.
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Aziz Akhannouch himself said he "ignored" the boycott campaign while speaking to Jeune Afrique, accusing opponents of "exploiting Moroccans' hardship for political goals".
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Aziz Akhannouch received criticism from Moroccans for his absence and lack of management towards those affected by the earthquake.
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Aziz Akhannouch pledged to rebuild all infrastructures destroyed in the earthquake.
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Aziz Akhannouch is married to Salwa Idrissi, a businesswoman who owns a company active in malls and holds the Moroccan franchises for brands such as Gap and Zara.
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On 21 November 2022, government spokesperson Mustapha Baitas announced that Aziz Akhannouch had tested positive for COVID-19.