History was made in Morocco in October 2021 when Nadia Fettah Alaoui, a quintessential entrepreneur and public servant, was appointed the country’s Minister of Economy and Finance.

Her ascendancy to the position of Morocco’s chief fiscal policy formulator and economy manager is unique in many respects. First, she is the first woman to lead one of the country’s most strategic government ministries. Second, her appointment came at a time Morocco is preparing to host the 2023 Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF)/World Bank in Marrakech, one of the country’s largest cities and a major economic hub.

As the Finance Minister, she is entrusted with the onerous responsibility of coordinating the preparations for a global event that brings together policymakers, finance ministers, central bank governors, thought leaders, global media, and civil society organizations from 190 member countries.

So far, Minister Alaoui has proved to be equal to the task. In recent months, she has successfully coordinated the meetings between the representatives of the IMF/World Bank and the Moroccan authorities in Rabat, the Moroccan capital during which discussions focused on arrangements for the Annual Meetings. It is remarkable that during one of the meetings in June, this year, there were fruitful consultations between the planning teams of the Moroccan government and the twin Bretton Woods institutions.

Minister Alaoui says she is elated by the progress so far made in preparation for Marrakech 2023 and looks forward to the “Annual Meetings that would bring the world to Morocco and Morocco to the world.”

As she continues to coordinate the hosting of the annual meetings, she has equally been effectively superintending the country’s fiscal policies. In the past year, she has worked tirelessly to ensure that the priority reform projects undertaken by Morocco promote a dynamic recovery and strengthen the resilience of its economy.

Under her leadership, the Ministry has introduced a number of key initiatives and policies that focus on rapidly growing foreign direct investments (FDIs).

Born and raised in Rabat, Morocco, Alaoui holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration earned from the Ecole des Hautes Etudes Commerciales in Paris, France. She started her career with the US accounting and consultancy firm Arthur Andersen in Casablanca, Morocco. In 2000, she started her own company, Maroc Invest Finances Group, and later served as chair of Saham Group’s board of directors in Morocco before stepping into politics in 2019.

She was appointed the country’s Minister of Tourism in 2019 and since then, Alaoui has firmly established her presence among Morocco’s decision-makers.