Despite tensions surrounding Ceuta, Morocco and Spain have never been so closely linked economically. Trade, automotive, textiles, tourism and energy now form an interconnected web of interests that a prolonged crisis would make both countries pay for.
Morocco and Algeria are both experiencing severe water stress, but the figures show two very different situations. Algeria has three times less renewable freshwater per capita, while in Morocco, nearly nine out of every ten liters withdrawn are used for agriculture.
Morocco has sharply reduced newborn mortality since the beginning of the century. But the latest United Nations estimates show that in 2024, more than 6,000 babies still died before reaching their 28th day of life.
Personal remittances received from abroad account for 7.5% of Morocco’s GDP, compared with just 0.7% in Algeria. Relative to the size of the two economies, their weight is therefore more than ten times greater in Morocco.
In Morocco, 21.7% of businesses identify the practices of their informal-sector competitors as their main obstacle, compared with 15.7% for corruption, according to the World Bank.
The hourly labor cost in the manufacturing industry is approximately 2.8 dollars in Morocco, compared with only 0.7 dollars in Egypt. Despite this one-to-four gap, the World Bank considers that Moroccan textiles retain several advantages over their competitors.
Marine aquaculture could attract nearly $2 billion in private investment to Morocco and generate around 75,000 jobs. The World Bank estimates that the potential already exists, but remains constrained by permits and several regulatory constraints .
Morocco has a near-global monopoly on argan oil, but still captures too little of its value. According to the World Bank, 93% of Moroccan exports leave in bulk before being processed and marketed abroad as finished products.
Morocco continues to be driven by a powerful investment cycle. But behind the major construction projects, the World Bank is identifying the first signs of a slowdown: in the first quarter of 2026, cement sales fell by 11 % year on year.
In Morocco, only 17.5% of women participate in the labor market, compared with around 51% worldwide. The World Bank points to very concrete obstacles: childcare, transportation, working conditions, and the behavior of certain employers.
Moroccan automotive exports declined in 2025. The World Bank attributes this to less dynamic European demand, but also to the growing competition from Chinese electric vehicles in the kingdom’s main markets.
After several years of disposals and cost-cutting, Société Générale is reporting a record quarterly profit. Its withdrawal from retail banking in Morocco was part of this broad refocusing, now praised by investors.