Morocco

Fiscal reform has long been a policy priority in Morocco, although with rural development, youth employment and trade balances also competing for attention, addressing the issue has always been rather tricky. While not revolutionary, the recently approved 2014 budget goes some way towards tackling a number of the more salient weaknesses in...

A move to reduce fuel subsidies is expected to help the government’s efforts to strengthen its balance sheets. Largely as a result of a protracted slowdown in Europe, the primary trade partner and major source of foreign direct investment, Morocco’s “twin” (fiscal and trade) deficits have risen steadily in the past five years. In addition to...

Over the past 10 years Morocco has changed significantly. Visitors to Casablanca, Tangiers or Agadir now explore cities that are substantively different from their 2004 incarnations, with new tramways, taller buildings and faster internet.

Morocco has long been a cultural and economic crossroads between the Middle East, Africa and Europe. Waves of immigration from the Middle East from the 7th century onward have largely shaped the country’s distinctive heritage, and sizable capital flows from the Middle East continue to have an important role in financing development projects...

While Morocco has good relations with a broad range of countries, it has long maintained particularly close ties with three key partners, namely the US, Europe (both the EU as a bloc and several key member states individually, above all France) and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. The areas of cooperation between the kingdom and these...

In the last two decades, Morocco has accelerated broad-based efforts to expand access to social services and encourage inclusive growth. Most notably, a spate of reforms adopted in the early 2000s helped to expand women’s rights and increase recognition of Berber cultures and languages. The impact has been noticeable and on the whole, Morocco has strong socio-economic...