The Financial Times, a British daily newspaper produced Analyse-Africa recently published the second of its new series on African countries report. It is about Morocco in a Report that is proposed as put in its title Morocco : By the numbers by all relevant numbers, graphics, charts and of course all related explanatory notes, etc.
as per leading global sources on African countries, etc. on its economy, political stability, foreign direct investment, trade, banking & finance, infrastructure, telecoms, labour, education and healthcare.
An introductory text sets the background by giving some key dates of the country’s contemporary history such as those of the short and ephemeral French protectorate prior to independence in 1956 before dwelling at length on its relationship with its immediate neighbour Algeria. It reviews also some of the most obvious aspects of its internal political life to end by Morocco’s reinsertion into the African Union.
Some description of the land and resources held therein are covered in one page. Demographics details on life expectancy, natality rates, religion, languages, ethnicities, etc. are splashed around for a better visualisation of the country’s human characteristics. Population estimated in 2016 at 32.84 million preponderantly young and with a penchant for emigrating has been noted towards Europe.
Politics and stability ensued in some detail on governance quality with details of the central and local authorities and ranking according to the proposed Mo Ibrahim Index of African Governance. Morocco comes second to Tunisia after the passage of the Arab Spring. Corruption and freedom of the press are schematically reviewed as being somewhat lacking in girth and depth. Not forgetting the importance women in the country’s politics, the status is that these have some way to go to catch up with its neighbours.
The economy as it is expected takes up few pages, starting with an evaluation of the country’s GDP and its ranking over time as compared to other North and sub Saharan African countries. It is dominated by the agricultural sector and the automotive industry. The renewables industry has sprung to be an asset which the authorities are tabling on for the future development of the country. Other sector of the economic activities such as trade, banking and finance, state of the infrastructure, the telecoms generally are reviewed and statically ascertained.
Labour, education and healthcare are reported in great details as compared to other neighbouring countries. The great leap forward is without any doubt the ICT infrastructure that allows an ever increasing number of the population access to the Internet media, social, e-commerce, e-government, etc.
Certain of the trends are highlighted in Morocco’s estimated GDP of $105bn that grew by 1.85%. Morocco is ranked as the third easiest place in Africa to do business in and that it has in 2016, approximately 11.28 million people employed, with a labour force participation rate of 49%.
Problems of the Rif’s populations enduring difficult relationship with the central authority were not covered though some mention of the Spanish establishments of Ceuta and Melilla were. Conversely, Western Saharan peoples striving for auto determination long lasting issue was duly reported with however a certain impartiality.
