The Moroccan economy is gradually recovering from the setback caused by the global health crisis, according to figures published by the High Commission for Planning, a government agency. Like many countries worldwide, Morocco experienced a decline in economic growth over the past two years, affected by the health crisis that disrupted key sectors of the Moroccan economy.
Recent calculations revealed that national economic growth reached 15.2% in the second quarter of 2021, compared to a decline of 14.2% recorded during the same period last year.
#### Reasons for Recovery
The agency attributed this recovery in its newsletter regarding the economic situation in the second quarter of 2021 to a notable increase in agricultural activity by 18.6% and non-agricultural activities by 14.8%. The source also mentioned that economic growth in the second quarter of this year was supported by a revival in domestic demand.
This strong recovery indicates that the Moroccan economy is on the right track since the beginning of this year, coinciding with the improved epidemiological situation both locally and internationally, as well as the high participation in national vaccination campaigns and the attainment of collective immunity. It is worth noting that the number of individuals fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in Morocco has reached 19,263,530 as of this Sunday.
#### 5% by Year-End
Ahmed Lahlimi, the High Commissioner for Planning, anticipated that Morocco would achieve significant economic growth during 2021. Lahlimi expressed optimism regarding the economic growth in 2021, noting that the gross domestic product (GDP) growth would be much higher than the initial forecasts made by the agency at the beginning of the year, which was set at 4.5%. The official predicted that the national economic growth rate would rise to 5% by the end of 2021.
He also emphasized that the institutional environment is a crucial factor in building trust, and thus, with the elections held on September 8 and the forthcoming announcement of the government formation, Morocco is on the right path, especially considering the initiatives launched by King Mohammed VI, such as universal health coverage and a large fund to stimulate investment.
#### Significant Growth, But...
In his commentary on this data, economist Dr. Najib Akesbi affirmed that the official figures are overall positive and reflect a notable recovery of the Moroccan economy, but they must be approached with caution, as uncertainty still prevails. The university professor told "Sky News Arabia" that despite the positive nature of the current figures, they remain weak in comparison to the growth rates recorded during the same period in 2020, when the crisis was at its peak, and the economic activity had come to a complete standstill in most parts of the world.
Dr. Akesbi pointed out that reaching a full recovery from the crisis and returning economic life to its normal state would not happen before 2022, "if everything goes smoothly and the health situation stabilizes globally."
In a related context, the Moroccan expert warned of the possibility of a new global economic downturn and the repercussions it could have on the economies of countries, including Morocco, stressing the importance of handling economic data with care and analyzing it thoroughly "to avoid misjudgments and analytical errors that could lead to the reoccurrence of past crises."
#### Challenges for the Upcoming Government
During the election campaign, Aziz Akhannouch, the appointed Prime Minister and leader of the National Rally of Independents, which came first in the recent legislative elections, promised to create one million jobs if he won the premiership. Some view this as a difficult task to achieve, though not impossible.
In addition to other challenges posed by the pandemic, which resulted in the loss of thousands of job opportunities and significant impacts on both small and large enterprises, the party committed to creating one million direct jobs to revitalize the economy in the aftermath of COVID-19 through the launching of public works programs for the unemployed, supporting self-employed entrepreneurs, and accelerating sectoral strategic plans.
The party's program tasked with forming the government also includes funding for entrepreneurial, social, environmental, cultural, and sports projects through the "Opportunity" program, as well as supporting businesses and creating decent job opportunities through ambitious sectoral plans in agriculture, fisheries, industry, tourism, and handicrafts.
