Ali Fassi Fihri, former head of the National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water and former president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, died on Sunday aged 71. He spent decades working in energy, water, sport and industry.
He held senior roles in Morocco’s public sector and sport. He led the National Office of Electricity before it merged with the water department. During that time, he worked on expanding infrastructure and improving basic services across the country.
Ali Fassi Fihri led the Royal Moroccan Football Federation from 2009 to 2013. He worked on reorganising the football system and starting the shift to a professional league.
Current federation president Fouzi Lekjaa released a statement. “Mr. Fouzi Lekjaa, President of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, on his own behalf and on behalf of all members of the Federation’s Board of Directors, extends his deepest condolences and most sincere feelings of sympathy to the family of the late Ali Fassi Fihri, and to all members of the national football community, following this great loss.”
Political and sports figures shared condolences. Leaders from the Istiqlal Party sent sympathy to his family, including his wife, former Health Minister Yasmina Baddou.
Fassi Fihri led the Global Rural Electrification Programme. The project helped bring electricity to almost all rural areas, rising from low coverage in the 1990s to nearly full access.
He managed the merger of the electricity and water offices to form the National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water. He later chaired the supervisory board of the Moroccan Agency for Sustainable Energy and helped launch the Noor Ouarzazate Solar Complex.
During his time as federation president, he pushed clubs to meet stricter financial and administrative rules as the league moved towards professionalism. He also focused on improving stadiums and training facilities for international events.
Before leading the federation, he was president of Fath Union Sport in Rabat from 2007 to 2009.
Fassi Fihri chaired the board of LafargeHolcim Maroc. He supported the Union for the Mediterranean and promoted projects on water management, climate action and the Euro-Mediterranean University in Fez.
