To receive a free copy of the full document The Forecast: Morocco 2018 then contact Roger Cabrera on roger.cabrera@menas.co.uk
Below you will find a short snippet from each of the key topic areas for the forecast of the year ahead.
An overview: Domestic politics and policy
The ability of the Moroccan establishment to deliver on its domestic promises will remain a central issue in 2018. There are concerns that the periodic culling of under-performing and, in some cases, corrupt public servants, will not necessarily result in the speedier delivery of large-scale reform programmes and social services in neglected regions.
An overview: International affairs
King Mohamed VI will continue his strategy of repairing relations with individual European states — above all with France since the election of President Emmanuel Macron — after a 2016 European Court of Justice ruling prohibited goods exported from Western Sahara to be included in Morocco’s Enhanced Status agreement.
The king’s strategy, combined with new contracts with Chinese and other international investors in the context of promoting Morocco as a platform into Africa, have provided coherent, if incomplete, answers to the challenge of expanding Morocco’s economic and diplomatic options.
An overview: Security
Moroccan intelligence remains critical to resolving, and potentially pre-empting, terrorist attacks in Europe involving dual nationals of Moroccan descent. Despite having good insights into their communities abroad, the Moroccan authorities insist that the radicalisation of European nationals of Moroccan descent cannot be directly attributed to Morocco, when — as in the case of the Moroccan network behind the August 2017 attacks in and around Barcelona — most were born in Morocco but left for Spain in early childhood.
An overview: Economy, energy, and other sectors
Morocco will remain a stable and relatively dynamic economic partner in 2018, but frustration about inequality, territorial imbalances and a sense of underachievement against its own vision of economic development will remain. King Mohamed VI admitted as much in a speech in October 2017, surprising many observers by saying that ‘our national development model no longer responds to citizens’ growing demands and pressing needs; it has not been able to reduce disparities between segments of the population, correct inter-regional imbalances or achieve social justice.’
