ATI
COUNTRY PROFILE
Morocco
Morocco is a high economic transformer with an overall ATI score of 60.2—tying with Eswatini on the rank of 3rd among the 30 countries in the analysis. The country is an excellent performer on all dimensions of economic transformation and is a top performer regionally in technological upgrading. Over the past two decades, Morocco recorded the most significant improvements in economic transformation with a 17.6-point increase in its overall ATI score.
Rabat
37.8 million
1.0 %
3.2 %
US $3,672
Morocco’s Performance on the African Transformation Index
The overall African Transformation Index score measures the five dimensions of DEPTH.
Overall score
60.2 /100
Score change
since 2000
At a glance
- Morocco is a high economic transformer with an overall ATI score of 60.2—tying with Eswatini on the rank of 3rd among the 30 countries in the analysis.
- The country is an excellent performer on all dimensions of economic transformation and is a top performer regionally in technological upgrading.
- Over the past two decades, Morocco recorded the most significant improvements in economic transformation with a 17.6-point increase in its overall ATI score.
| Score /100 |
Change since 2000 | ||
 |
Diversification |
69.9 |
-9.9
|
 |
Export competitiveness |
41.1 |
+15.1
|
 |
Productivity increases |
40 |
+13.4
|
 |
Technology upgrading |
97.2 |
+57.7
|
 |
Human well-being |
52.7 |
+11.6
|
Diversification of production and exports measures countries’ capability to produce and export a widening array of goods and services.
Score
69.9 /100
Score change
since 2000
At a glance
- Morocco's economy is one of the most diversified economies in the region with a diversification score of 69.9. Key sectors include agriculture, mining, manufacturing, and tourism.
- The manufacturing sector contributes 14.5 percent to GDP, with industries such as automotive, textiles, and phosphates playing a significant role.
- Meanwhile, the services sector is the largest, accounting for around 53.8 percent of GDP, driven by tourism, financial services, and telecommunications.
- While Morocco has made progress in expanding its industrial base, particularly in the automotive and aerospace industries, the country’s export structure remains relatively concentrated.
- Phosphates and its derivatives still account for a significant share of export revenues, alongside agricultural products like citrus and olives. The reliance on these sectors makes the economy vulnerable to fluctuations in global commodity prices and external demand.
Export competitiveness is measured as the ratio of a country’s share in the world’s exports of non-extractive goods and services to its share in world non-extractive GDP.
Score
41.1 /100
Score change
since 2000
At a glance
-
Morocco has made significant strides in improving its export competitiveness, with a score of 41.1 in 2020.
-
Morocco’s progress on this dimension is mainly attributed to its efforts in developing the country’s automotive, aerospace, and agricultural export sectors.
-
The country's strategic location and investments in modern infrastructure, such as the Tangier-Med port, have also positioned it as a gateway between Europe and Africa.
-
However, Morocco still faces challenges in fully leveraging these advantages due to skills mismatches in the labor market and the need for further technological advancements.
-
Additionally, the export base still somewhat relies on low-sophistication products like phosphates.
Productivity increases measure the value added per unit of labor in agriculture, manufacturing, and services.
Score
40 /100
Score change
since 2000
At a glance
- Morocco has made steady progress over the past two decades toward improving productivity in critical sectors, yet challenges remain.
- The agricultural sector, bolstered by the Green Morocco Plan, has seen steady improvements in yields and efficiency, especially in high-value crops like citrus and olives.
- However, small-scale farmers still face productivity constraints due to limited access to modern inputs. The manufacturing sector—particularly automotive and aerospace production—has shown steady productivity gains over the past two decades, supported by investments in infrastructure and industrial zones.
- The service sector has also recorded steady productivity growth but remains hampered by skills gaps and digitalization challenges.
Technology upgrading measures the medium-and high-technology content in total production activities and total commodity exports.
Score
97.2 /100
Score change
since 2000
At a glance
- Morocco has made notable progress in technology upgrading, especially in the automotive, aerospace, and renewable energy industries.
- The country has strategically positioned itself as a hub for high-value manufacturing, leveraging investments in industrial zones and fostering partnerships with foreign companies.
- However, challenges remain in ensuring that these technological gains extend to other sectors, including traditional manufacturing and agriculture.
- Additionally, R&D spending as a percentage of GDP remains relatively low, limiting the scope for homegrown innovation.
Human well-being measures economic and social outcomes and enablers in terms of incomes, income inequality, formal employment, and female participation in formal labor markets.
Score
52.7 /100
Score change
since 2000
At a glance
- Morocco has made progress in improving human well-being, mainly through investments in education, healthcare, and infrastructure, thereby contributing to a gradual reduction in poverty.
- However, disparities between urban and rural areas persist, with rural populations facing higher rates of poverty and limited access to essential services.
- The labor market remains constrained by high youth unemployment and a huge informal sector, where many workers lack job security.
- Despite some improvements, gender inequality in employment persists, with fewer women participating in formal employment.
Discover more from the ATI
ATI Scorecard
Explore the data behind the economic transformation progress of 30 African countries between 2000-2020.
Growth with DEPTH
Explore the ATI in DEPTH and see how African countries performed on each dimension between 2000-2020.
Methodology
Learn more about our methodology, sources, and how we calculate the index.
Country Profiles
To explore the results of the index in greater detail and provide context and analysis, the ATI report includes 11 case studies.
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