Country Profile

One of the most developed countries in Africa, Morocco is a melting pot of indigenous Berber, African, Arab and European influences. Due to its strategic location and proximity to Europe, the kingdom has been able to accommodate its cultural diversity in a stable and politically inclusive system. The kingdom possesses North Africa’s only constitutional monarchy and has fortified its position as an international trade centre by increasingly liberalising its economy and attracting foreign investment. If the country can sustain its balancing act of working to provide domestic freedoms and opportunity while maintaining security, it is likely to remain a leading regional power. Morocco has not only deepened its economic and security ties with the EU, but also with the Gulf states and China. Most recently, the kingdom re-joined the African Union after a 30-year hiatus.

This chapter contains a viewpoint from His Majesty King Mohammed VI; and interviews with Saad Eddine El Othmani, Head of Government; and Marcel de Souza, President, ECOWAS Commission.