Aziz Rbah
Tuesday, May 6, 2025

According to the High Commission for Planning, unemployment is rising among youth and graduates. Although the unemployment rate decreased in the first quarter of 2025 to 13.3% compared to 13.7% in the same period of 2024, unemployment remains high among youth and graduates!!!

- Unemployment rates in Morocco have increased among youth aged 15 to 24, reaching 37.7% in the first quarter of 2025, an increase of 1.8 points compared to the same period last year!!!

- The unemployment rate among women is 19.9%, and 19.4% among graduates (both female and male);

- 47% of workers do not hold any certificate, with 33.2% holding a secondary certificate, and 19.8% holding higher certificates.

- 70% of the unemployed are concentrated in five regions: Casablanca-Settat, Fez-Meknes, the Eastern region, Rabat-Salé-Kénitra, and the Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima region.

- The highest unemployment levels are found in the Eastern region (25.2%) and the southern regions (23.8%), followed by Casablanca-Settat (13.7%) and Fez-Meknes (14.7%).

And I believe that a green light has been given, or rather a firm directive has been issued to the officials in all relevant institutions and sectors to work diligently to find real and lasting solutions.

The challenge necessitates launching a large national initiative built on strong will and an integrated approach that takes into account all previous and current plans with their achievements and failures.

It can include essential pillars that are unavoidable to achieve the desired results, including:

- Economic governance based on transparency and seriousness to encourage investment and remove obstacles and strict accountability;
- Making employment a top priority for all ministerial sectors, public institutions, and local communities;
- Commitment of funding institutions, especially banks, to take some risks in financing investments in exchange for the substantial profits they achieve;
- Launching a transparent investment land map that is accessible to all at reasonable prices for both purchase and leasing;
- Reviewing urban planning schemes to increase areas of economic activity, districts, and commercial, artisanal, and service streets;
- Accepting exceptional permits in urban planning for investment projects that provide job opportunities;
- Prioritizing economic projects in spatial development plans, especially urban ones;
- Adapting support programs to match levels of large, medium, and small investments with appropriate follow-up;
- Developing programs aimed at investing in the most labor-intensive sectors such as agriculture, traditional industry, trade and services, small industries, construction, and transport...;
- Launching an ambitious program in the digitization sector and establishing digitization complexes in all regions and cities;
- Launching a plan to support and accompany very small investments with the preparation and presentation of model projects capable of being generalized;
- Improving and generalizing self-employment programs with the integration of social investment and associative employment;
- Regularizing the status of informal economy activities with facilitated conditions and attractive incentives in exchange for strict management;
- Developing and supporting economic media and professional skill development programs;
- Evaluating institutions and administrations related to investment and employment in light of the results achieved.

These are some suggestions in response to the report of the High Commission and in the spirit of providing advice and contributing to the official and community national effort.

And good things are ahead.