The renewal of old urban centers in Morocco: challenges and limits of the new urban renovation policy

Keywords: urban renovation, urban policies, Morocco
Abstract Type: Virtual Paper Abstract

Abstract

This proposal focuses on a new urban renovation policy currently affecting old urban centers in Morocco. Over the past decade, Morocco has asserted its economic and political power within the African continent and the MENA region. In this regional economic competition, Moroccan cities are receiving particular attention, especially through the renovation of old urban centers. In 2016, a law "regarding buildings threatening to collapse and the organization of urban renovation projects" led to the creation of a national agency for urban renovation and the rehabilitation of deteriorating buildings called ANRUR. Following the demolition of slums as part of the “Villes Sans Bidonvilles” policy, it is now the degraded central neighborhoods that face the threat of destruction due to urban renovation projects. Through the example of the Hay Mohammadi neighborhood in Casablanca, we will explore how this new urban policy disrupts the spatial and social balances of Moroccan cities.