Morocco’s Unemployment Rate Hits 10.7% in Q1 2017

Unemployment rate rose to 10.7% in Morocco in the first quarter of 2017 up from 10.4% the same period last year with job growth staggering in the country’s public sector in light of the post-electoral deadlock and the consequent delay in the adoption of the 2017 appropriation bill.

According to data issued by Morocco’s statistics office (HCP) the number of the unemployed grew by 63,000 people between the first quarter of 2016 and the same period in 2017 to stand at 1,296,000 people.

Unemployment rate rose in urban centres from 15% to 15.7%, while the rate remains low standing at 4.1% in rural areas.

During the same period, 109,000 job opportunities were created in the country, including 62,000 in urban centres and 47,000 in rural areas.

In this regards, the HCP explains that 45,000 jobs were created in the third sector, 28,000 in agriculture, 20,000 in construction and 16,000 in the industry sector, including handicrafts.

The 2017 appropriation bill, which was supposed to be adopted last December, plans the creation of 23,000 jobs in the public sector. The Bill is currently under scrutiny by lawmakers before adoption.