Morocco leads by far North Africa vaccine roll-outs

Significance

Elsewhere in North Africa, progress has been much slower, with Egypt, Algeria, Libya and Tunisia all facing delays in securing sufficient supplies of vaccines.

Impacts

• The vaccination success in Morocco will have a positive impact on the economy, in particular through allowing for a reboot of tourism.
• Various Moroccan parties will seek to benefit from the handling of the pandemic ahead of general and municipal elections later this year.
• In Algeria and Tunisia, the struggle to procure vaccines will aggravate political tensions, amid formidable challenges for the economy.
• Delivery of the Chinese Sinopharm vaccine has been patchy, raising fresh questions about relying on China as an economic partner.