“I can’t describe myself any better than my community and charitable activities—and even my professional work—already do.” This is how 30-year-old Fouad Akchar, the Authenticity and Modernity Party’s candidate for the professional chamber elections in the commerce category for the Anzakan Ait Melloul district on August 6, described himself in a statement to the official website of the Al-Jarrar Party, he outlined his professional and activist journey, which convinced him first to run and second to respond to the calls of his colleagues and friends in the profession who insisted on encouraging and morally supporting him to run in the upcoming August 6 election.
Akchar, who is the youngest deputy on the candidate list in the region, is a community activist and merchant in the city of Inzegan—the largest commercial hub in the Souss region, bringing together merchants and shoppers. He is a descendant of the “Akchar,” known for its good reputation, positive standing, and integrity among the people, with most of its members active in the Al-Jarrar Party—from his aunt Mariam Akchar, deputy secretary of the Souss-Massa Regional Council, to his uncle Khalid Akchar, a well-known sports manager in the region and a member of the Agadir Chamber of Commerce, Industry, and Services….
Furthermore, the candidate, Fouad Akchar, is deeply committed to leftist ideas and believes in democratic socialist principles that align with the ideology of the Authenticity and Modernity Party. The regional party leadership’s decision to nominate him as a candidate on the list stems from a consensus among the party’s activists and supporters in the region, in addition to his distinguished academic background, which includes a high school diploma in physics in 2009, a diploma in computer science from the IUT de Villetaneuse and the Institut Galilée in France in 2012, and a diploma in administrative management from the Marrakech School of Business in 2014. He also earned a master’s degree in management and financial engineering from the Marrakech School of Business in 2016, as well as an MBA in Digital Marketing from ISTEC Paris in 2021. He also served as a member of the Student Council at the University of Paris 13 in France in 2011.
This young candidate from Bami, who works as a merchant and runs his own company, is also very active in community organizations and youth groups on social media that focus on humanitarian and charitable initiatives to help those in need.
His decision to run in the professional elections stemmed from his observation of the turmoil plaguing the situation of merchants in the markets of Inzegan and its suburbs, as well as the dire conditions faced by professionals who are deprived of many of their legitimate rights. It should be noted that the city of Inzegan possesses a distinct commercial dimension at the heart of the region, extending its influence beyond Morocco. Given its strategic location and thriving commercial activity, it stands as the leading commercial hub in southern Morocco, open to a number of Maghreb and sub-Saharan African countries, and because it receives various products from different regions of the country, both regionally and nationally. Thus, we are talking about more than 19 commercial centers housing nearly 8,000 professionals, including installment merchants and wholesalers, 4,580 of whom are in the city of Inzegan alone. Fouad Akchar explains, in his assessment of the goals that motivated him to run for a position in the professional chambers of commerce.
However, given the city’s and the region’s prestigious commercial standing, the large population living in the sector—estimated at over 80% of the total population—and the significant revenue generated for local government coffers in particular and the state treasury in general… ...we can say that this sector is like the tree that hides the forest, says Fouad Akchar, adding: “Yes, all of this hides behind it ‘wholesale’ structural problems, amid a set of constraints resulting from the sector’s haphazard, politically motivated, and rent-seeking management. This has led to numerous unresolved issues, ranging from newly built markets that spark significant controversy between merchants and authorities, to street vendors whose daily livelihoods are now threatened, and the relocation of some merchants without prior study or consultation…”.
He added, “All of this makes it more necessary than ever to consider a comprehensive development policy in which all parties are involved.”
In addition, Akchar discusses his commitments to professionals in the Inzegan-Aït Melloul region, which align with the objectives set forth in the National Program. He states that he will strive to fulfill these commitments in practice through a program that addresses the real challenges facing professional sectors. As you know, he has been, and continues to be, many of them are currently facing very difficult circumstances due to financial obligations toward their families and employees, which has caused their debts to pile up. It has become necessary to take urgent measures to support the commercial activities of certain merchants, café owners, and restaurant owners affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The first of these is urgent financial support for this group, interest-free emergency loans; exemption from fines and penalties for late payment of bills of exchange and checks until after the pandemic subsides and commercial activity recovers; and exemption of merchants from taxes and levies to alleviate their burden. Exempting merchants from the fees they owe to public institutions such as local councils and endowments. This is in addition to the necessity of rehabilitating and restructuring all commercial facilities to meet modern standards, where the merchant conducts business with dignity and respect, and visitors feel comfortable and delighted. This requires, first and foremost, that all these commercial facilities be equipped with the essentials: heating, a strong and reliable electrical grid, drinking water, dedicated parking lots, cafes, and areas for visitors’ entertainment and relaxation…There is therefore an urgent need to restructure commercial markets and transform them from their haphazard, traditional form into high-quality commercial complexes. This is what we will advocate for, alongside efforts to implement programs to promote domestic trade and improve the status of neighborhood commerce, We will work to overcome tax inequities and achieve tax justice, organize training courses for professionals to keep pace with industry developments, work to modernize and update professionals’ working methods, and support small merchants in facing the economic challenges and constraints following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Meanwhile, Fouad Akchar, a young activist, addresses professionals in the sector, saying: “Our goal today, as young activists in the ranks of the Authenticity and Modernity Party preparing to enter this electoral battle, is primarily to strengthen the role of professional chambers in supporting professional sectors and advancing the democratic process at the regional level.” He concludes his statement with the following:“In other words, we need professional chambers today that are active and serve as essential partners in the process of economic and social development in our country.”
Youssef Al-Amadi
