Morocco: FDI Increases, Trade Deficit Deepens

The indicators of Moroccan economy showed a positive evolution in 2018. Thus foreign direct investments (FDI) amounted to 30.2 billion dirhams at the end of the first ten months of the current year, compared to 21.3 billion at the end of October 2017. However, the trade deficit is worsening.

According to the Exchange Office (Office des changes), during the first ten months of 2018, the flow of FDI increased by 41.5% or +8.882MDH: 30.271MDH against 21.389MDH at the end of October 2017.
The office said several sectors scored positive results, including exports and tourism.
However, imports rose by 9.2%, exacerbating the trade balance deficit to 166.9 billion dirhams against 154.9 billion dirhams in 2017, a coverage rate of 57.5 percent instead of 57 percent a year earlier.

The rise in imports (393.323MDH vs. 360.072MDH) is due to the increase of purchases of all product groups, mainly energy products (+11.125MDH), capital goods (+ 7.798MDH), and finished consumption products (+ 5.865MDH), according to the Exchange Office.

Exports also recorded an increase of 10.3%, amounting to 226,344MDH instead of 205,127MDH at the end of October 2017. The sectors contributing most to these results are phosphates and derivatives (+ 5.391MDH), automotive sector (+ 5.328MDH), and agriculture and agri-food (+ 2.714MDH).
These three sectors contribute 63.3% of the total increase in exports.

At the same time, the textile & leather and aerospace sectors increased by 1,409MDH and 1,386MDH, respectively.

In addition, tourist receipts increased by 0.2% or + 118MDH (61.369MDH against 61.251MDH a year earlier).