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Economic growth, coupled with the liberalisation of the sector in the 1990s, has led to the expansion of Morocco’s ICT sector, which is also underpinned by high penetration levels, as well as policies conducive to the development of related services and their incorporation into everyday business activities. Meanwhile, a focus on e-government and the digitisation of the economy – along with improvements to mobile data services, which are playing an ever-greater role – are likely to lead to continuing positive performance. The mobile telecoms segment is the most dynamic in the industry, with mobile data services leading the way. Although it still lags behind telecoms in terms of dynamism, the IT sector will likely benefit from the implementation of the government’s Digital Morocco Plan 2020. By establishing a dedicated agency for IT development, Moroccan authorities have underlined the importance for the country’s future development of transitioning to a digital economy. However, for the strategy to succeed, efforts to bridge the digital divide and increase penetration must be kept on track. This chapter contains interviews with Saloua Karkri-Belkeziz, President, Federation of Information Technologies, Telecommunications and Offshoring, and President, Gfi Africa; and Mehdi Alaoui, Founder and CEO, LaFactory, and Vice-president, Moroccan Federation of IT, Telecommunications and Offshoring.

Underpinned by rising commodity prices and, consequently, increased domestic spending, Kuwait’s banking sector performed well in the 18 months to mid-2018. The industry posted net profit growth of 8.9% and total asset growth of 5.9% to $251.9bn in 2017, even as local banks moved to adhere to a raft of new provisioning rules. With the price of crude more than doubling from $28 per barrel in January 2016 to $76 in September 2018, the state has expressed confidence in its ability to move forward with $112.5bn in planned capital expenditure under the National Development Plan 2015-20. This will have positive knock-on effects for the banking sector, which has long been a beneficiary of state spending in the form of government deposits and financing opportunities. This chapter contains an interview with Mohammad Y Al Hashel, Governor, Central Bank of Kuwait; and Fatah Adour, General Manager, Citibank Kuwait.

Written in partnership with Sayarh & Menjra Law Firm, this chapter introduces the reader to the different aspects of the legal system in Morocco. It also contains a viewpoint with Mehdi Megzari and Omar Sayarh, Partner and Managing Partner, Sayarh & Menjra Law Firm.

Written in conjunction with Ernst & Young, this chapter explores the taxation system and Morroco’s efforts to build an investor-friendly environment. It also contains an interview with Abdelmejid Faiz, Tax Partner, EY Maroc.

Basic education indicators such as school attendance and literacy rates are rising in Morocco, particularly for higher education, where attendance has rapidly accelerated in recent times and is set to rise further as the government expands eligibility. The authorities are stepping up investment in the sector, with plans in the works for increased spending, better infrastructure and the establishment of universal preschool. However, the sector continues to face a range of challenges, including student retention and teaching quality. Building on long-term advances in basic sector indicators such as near-universal youth literacy, education outcomes and the quality of provision appear set for further improvement due to a renewed focus on teacher recruitment and training, rising rates of secondary school and university attendance, and the promotion of preschool. The uptake of private education also appears likely to continue along its current growth trajectory, as the kingdom’s economy expands and income levels rise. This chapter contains an interview with Ahmed Benyahia, CEO, Holding Générale de l’Education.

Moroccan health indicators have improved steadily in recent years, although there remains room for improvement, even by regional standards. In addition, as in many countries, the burden of lifestyle-related non-communicable diseases is on the rise. Access to health care coverage has also been growing rapidly as the authorities roll out government-backed insurance schemes to an ever-growing number of citizens, with the country aiming to achieve near-universal coverage in the coming years. Meanwhile, recent regulatory changes have opened up the private sector to increased investment, and the public sector has been gaining ground on the former in terms of its level of spending. This chapter contains an interview with Mohamed Elmandjra, CEO, Oncologie et Diagnostic du Maroc.