Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, Khalid Ait Taleb has made a remarkable return to Morocco's public stage. Nearly a year after stepping down as Minister of Health during the October 23 cabinet reshuffle, King Mohammed VI has appointed him Wali of the Fès-Meknès region and Governor of the Prefecture of Fès. The appointment, announced on Sunday, October 19, came at the recommendation of the Head of Government and was initiated by the Minister of the Interior, in accordance with Article 49 of the July 2011 Constitution. Ait Taleb is well-acquainted with the dynamics of the Fès-Meknès region. Before his first ministerial appointment on October 9, 2019, under Saad-Eddine El Othmani's government, he served as Director of the University Hospital Center (CHU) of Fès, where he built a reputation as a skilled technocrat. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he worked closely with the Ministry of the Interior to coordinate the national response, earning recognition for his steady leadership. Following the 2021 legislative elections and the formation of Aziz Akhannouch's government, Ait Taleb briefly left office, only to return two weeks later. Nabila Rmili, the RNI appointee initially named to the post, unexpectedly submitted her resignation amid controversy, paving the way for Ait Taleb's reinstatement. He remained Minister of Health until October 23, 2024, when he was succeeded by Amine Tahraoui, a close associate of the Akhannouch family.
