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Agriculture contributed 13.2% of GDP in 2011, up slightly from an average yearly contribution of 13% of GDP between 2006 and 2010. Poor weather conditions in the first quarter of 2012 significantly reduced the seasonal output of many crops. However, efforts to boost investment, restructure the sector and modernise agricultural practices should help to protect against future shocks. The sector is expected to continue expanding in the coming years as domestic demand grows and progress is made on the sector’s development strategy, the Green Morocco Plan (Plan Maroc Vert, PMV). By 2020, the PMV’s first pillar aims to increase the value of agricultural exports from €711m to €3.9bn, primarily by developing high-value crops such as citrus, fruits and vegetables, and olives. To meet its ambitious targets, the kingdom will need to generate considerable investment from the private sector.

The construction sector achieved 4.2% growth in 2011 and has consistently contributed around 5% to 6% of the GDP over the last eight years. Public spending on infrastructure has created opportunities for both local and foreign firms in the last decade. From 2003 to 2012, the government invested nearly Dh180bn (€16m) in basic infrastructure in an effort to improve capacity and efficiency. Foreign firms hailing from the EU – especially Spain – as well as Turkey, South Korea and China have been drawn to Morocco to create large-scale, mixed-use projects. While building has slowed in some sectors as a result of the global economic downturn, strong demand for construction in housing, public services, industry and energy should continue to stimulate sector activity in the medium term. Indeed, a number of high-value commercial real estate projects have continued to attract international investment. Recent developments include efforts initiated in 2011 to create 11 new cities, a number of which are located outside of Casablanca and Rabat. The government is looking to public-private partnerships to support urban regeneration and the construction of low-income housing. In the short term, efforts to incentivise social housing construction and urban planning programmes meant to absorb sub-standard housing will continue to drive much real estate sector activity. This chapter includes an interview with Mohammed Fassi-Fehri, Director-General, CDG Development.

Now in the midst of a three-stage strategic plan to develop the transport sector and position the country as a regional hub for air and maritime traffic, Morocco has experienced remarkable growth in transport networks in recent years. The government invested some €10.67bn between 2008 and 2012 for infrastructure building and introduced liberalisation and competitiveness reforms. To maximise the benefits of the country’s expanded infrastructure, the government has also proposed a Dh60bn (€5.33bn) investment programme over the 2010-30 period for the construction of a nationwide logistics network. This is expected to increase efficiency and boost revenues in maritime, air, road and rail transport. While much of Morocco’s transport sector continues to be managed by public entities, particularly airports and railways, private sector firms are coming to play larger roles, especially in maritime segment. This chapter includes interviews with Aziz Rabbah, Minister of Equipment and Transport; and Hartmut Goeritz, Director-General, APM Terminals Tangier.

With a new set of laws set to be passed in 2013 to replace the existing mining code, the government is seeking to open the sector to additional foreign investment and offer more concessions to extract and process the country’s mineral wealth. Phosphates mining accounted for 92.7% of the sector’s total production in 2011. Other mineral resources include gold, silver, barite, cobalt, copper, manganese, tin, fluorspar, iron, lead and salt. A major investment programme worth €91bn is hoped to expand phosphate production capacity and attract investor attention to opportunities in mining both phosphates and other minerals. This chapter includes an interview with Mustapha Terrab, CEO, OCP Group.

Despite its relative stability, the kingdom’s tourism sector experienced a number of difficulties over the past two years as the region has struggled with political unrest. However, its strength and speedy recovery has shown just how important tourism is to the Moroccan economy, with the country attracting 9.38m visitors in 2012. Oversight of the sector is set to be reorganised, with management increasingly devolved to regional authorities. Plans to focus on niche segments such as ecotourism and adventure tourism, as well as continued investment for beach resorts as part of Plan Azur, should help develop rural parts of the country and will diversify the sector’s offerings. This chapter includes interviews with Lahcen Haddad, Minister of Tourism; and Yann Caillère, President and COO, Accor Group.

As the government evaluates the initial results of the Maroc Numeric 2013 plan, improved access is pushing the sector to expand. Benefitting from steady economic growth as well as a countrywide strategy to increase information technology (IT) usage, Morocco’s IT sector has seen stable expansion. Governmental policy has been framed under the Maroc Numeric 2013 strategy, which has had an immense impact in all areas of communications technology usage and provision. Increased use of mobile phones and improved access to 3G has meant a rise in penetration rates.