Morocco’s Sustainable Development and Obstacles

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Table of Contents

Development Topics
SDGs
Analysis
Works Cited

The international cooperation agenda from 2015 to 2030 should broadly be defined by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The program is designed to address humankind’s global problems and calls upon countries to take the path of protecting and improving the well-being of the planet and its people. Morocco was taking many measures and establishing models for the country’s development by those goals. Two articles dealing with the topic of sustainable development in this country are considered – one demonstrates achievements, and a newer one discusses the obstacles encountered this year and the assistance provided. Despite the successes achieved and the efforts made, the pandemic COVID-19 changes the country’s plans, forcing it to adapt to the new conditions and seek assistance from other states.

Development Topics

Population and Poverty. Gianaris discusses “Effects to improve the prosperity” of the people, the fight against poverty, and the reduction of unemployment (para. 5, 9, 11, 12). Another article speaks of the financing of the “support Morocco’ social protection system “(“World Bank” para. 1). Moreover, it is indicated that such measures will help “the poorest segments of the Moroccan population” (“World Bank” para. 3).
MDGs and SDGs. Gianaris devotes the entire article to the goals of sustainable development: “Morocco conducted its second Voluntary National Review of its progress towards the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals” (para. 1). An article published in Modern Diplomacy does not directly speak of SDGs but concerns several of them (“World Bank”).
Modern Development Models. According to Morocco World News, the country’s work involves efforts to “overhaul and renew the Moroccan development model” (Gianaris para. 5).
Crisis and Development. Gianaris notes that Morocco’s conditions are complicated “by the international financial crisis of 2008 and three years of drought in the last decade” (para. 11). The article in Modern Diplomacy, in turn, highlights the measures taken to cope with the crisis and continue the development of the country. These efforts include an “approach to help lessen the crisis impact” (“World Bank” para. 7).
Education and Development. According to Morocco World News, education is indicated as the social goal of the country (Gianaris para. 6). Modern Diplomacy states that the project to eliminate the negative consequences of the crisis is also aimed at “support the conditional cash transfer program for the education sector” (“World Bank” para. 4).

SDGs

GOAL 1: No Poverty. Morocco “mobilized a third of its GDP to fight poverty,” and this brought results in reducing its level (Gianaris para. 9, 11-12). Morocco’s social protection system supports these vulnerable parts of the population (“World Bank” para. 1).
GOAL 4: Quality Education. Gianaris writes that Morocco seeks to find and evaluate “challenges inhibiting the country’s growth in education and training” (para. 6). Considering that the crisis that arose due to the pandemic is one of these obstacles, measures will be taken “to pursuit learning in schools” (“World Bank” para. 4).
GOAL 7: Affordable and Clean Energy. This goal occupies a special place in the development of Morocco. According to Morocco World News, the country seeks a “reduction of dependence on fossil fuels” (Gianaris para. 11).
GOAL 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth. Morocco has achieved significant success, “improving the content of its economic growth in terms of employment” (Gianaris para. 11). Modern Diplomacy notes that people who have lost their jobs in the pandemic’s difficult conditions will receive support from the state (“World Bank” para. 3).
GOAL 17: Partnerships to achieve the Goal. Morocco not only takes care of its citizens within the framework of sustainable development but also develops partnerships with other actors of international relations. For example, Gianaris mentions that “The country is also establishing global partnerships, particularly in Africa” (para. 8). World diplomacy describes the results of such cooperation – “The World Bank Board of Executive Directors today approved a US $400 million program to support Morocco’s social protection system”(“World Bank” para. 1).

Morocco’s Commitment to Sustainable Development

Gianaris, Kristen. “Morocco Submits 2020 Voluntary National Review of SDG Progress.” Morocco World News, 2020. Web.

Morocco Submits 2020 Voluntary National Review of SDG Progress

Morocco conducted its second Voluntary National Review of its progress toward the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

Rabat – Morocco is among 47 countries to carry out a 2020 Voluntary National Review regarding the country’s progress toward the implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for 2030.

Over three days, beginning on July 14 and ending on July 16, Morocco participated in this year’s annual SDG meeting. The 2020 theme was “Accelerated action and transformative pathways: realizing the decade of action and delivery for sustainable development.”

Minister Delegate to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation, and Moroccans residing abroad Nezha El Ouafi spoke at the virtual UN High-Level Political Forum meeting on July 16. She explained the Voluntary National Review has enabled the country to measure its progress as it continuously works toward Morocco’s development goals.

Efforts to improve the prosperity of the country’s population include a new project to overhaul and renew the Moroccan development model.

The minister delegate added that King Mohamed VI is setting up a national commission responsible for updating the development model. The model will assess challenges inhibiting the country’s growth in education and training, employment, social protection, and youth issues.

Morocco’s development efforts involve implementing institutional reforms amid the consolidation of its development model. They also include advancing protection and assistance programs for women, children, and people with disabilities. Setting up a National Charter for the Environment and Sustainable Development also features in the strategy.

The country is also establishing global partnerships, particularly in Africa, that fulfill its commitment to achieving Agenda 2030 on an international scale.

Morocco’s notable efforts toward the Sustainable Development Goals

According to the UN Sustainable Development Goals website, Morocco has made significant investments and efforts toward the country’s successful development. The North African country began its national development efforts in 2000. It mobilized a third of its GDP to fight poverty, social inequality, and climate change while enhancing its natural resources.

“These efforts have enabled the country to strengthen its accumulation of physical capital, promote its human capital, [and] accelerate its transition to clean development,” reads the online report.

Thus, improving “the content of its economic growth in terms of employment, poverty reduction, social and territorial inequalities and reduction of dependence on fossil fuels, and this in a context marked by the international financial crisis of 2008 and three years of drought in the last decade,” read the online report.

The UN SDG website noted Morocco’s 4.2% economic growth from 2000-2018, a 9% drop in unemployment, and decreased levels of poverty. It also commended the country’s reduction in inequality across regions, investment in renewable energies, and urban development initiatives. The advancement of hydraulic sanitation projects and extensions of forest space also earned a mention.

This is Morocco’s second Voluntary National Review since King Mohamed VI’s administration adopted the SDGs in 2015. A year later, Morocco conducted its first review.

What are the Sustainable Development Goals?

World leaders have adopted the 17 Sustainable Development Goals under the United Nations 2030 Agenda to address development issues. The goals are a blueprint for a more peaceful, prosperous future for all of humanity, “leaving no one behind.”

Credit: Azote Images for Stockholm Resilience Centre

Countries involved have agreed to work toward goals at the levels of biosphere, society, economy, and partnership. Society goals include no poverty, zero hunger, good health and wellbeing, quality education, gender equality, and affordable and clean energy. Sustainable cities and communities also fall in this category, as well as peace, justice, and strong institutions.

Biosphere goals include climate action, clean water and sanitation, life below water, and life on land. Economy goals include decent work and economic growth, reduced inequalities, sustainable consumption and production, and industry, innovation, and infrastructure. Partnerships to achieve the goals span all levels.

“World Bank Supports Morocco’s Social Protection Response and Reform.” Modern Diplomacy, 2020. Web.

World Bank supports Morocco’s social protection response and reform

The World Bank Board of Executive Directors today approved a US$400 million program to support Morocco’s social protection system, as part of the kingdom’s sweeping reforms to strengthen its social safety nets. The Morocco COVID-19 Social Protection Emergency Response Project will support poor and vulnerable households during the COVID-19 pandemic and reinforce their resilience to future shocks.

“Morocco has reacted decisively and swiftly to support the most vulnerable during the COVID-19 pandemic and is now accelerating reforms to strengthen its social protection system that we, at the World Bank, are proud to support,” said Jesko Hentschel, World Bank Maghreb Country Director. “This project supports the country in its response to the pandemic as well in its plans to build a broad, effective and vital safety net system for vulnerable populations”.

The Covid-19 pandemic disproportionally affected the poorest segments of the Moroccan population and the livelihoods of thousands of households. It is estimated that the pandemic has halted around 712,000 formal sector jobs and at least 4 million jobs in the informal sector. The program will finance social assistance to these affected categories and support the capacity of those most in need to overcome the crisis. This support covers both the emergency cash transfers provided through Morocco’s Covid-19 Special Fund as well as those to be channeled through existing social protection programs.

Besides the impact on income, the crisis has challenged the ability of many vulnerable households and their school-aged children to pursue learning in schools. To prevent the reversal of Morocco’s human development gains, the project will support the conditional cash transfer program for the education sector, the Tayssir program, to protect children’s learning.

“In crises like the one we are experiencing now, protecting children as well as their continued learning is a critical response. Similarly, income transfers are a lifeline for many households who are dependent on the informal sector” said Carlo del Ninno, Lead Economist and co-task team leader.

The project fully supports the Government of Morocco’s efforts and ambitions to strengthen its social protection system, by contributing to the Family Allowance rollout as well as improving the governance, digital infrastructure, and harmonization of social assistance programs. It also provides for a contingency financing line allowing for a rapid reallocation of the project funds to respond promptly to emergencies shortly if needed.

“The design of this program is based on both a short- and long-term approach to help lessen the crisis impact on large segments of the population, all the while supporting the country in building a robust social protection system,” said Mehdi Barouni, Senior economist and co-task team leader. “Achieving this purpose requires a revamping of social programs based on a coordinated approach to align their objectives and targeting efficiency”.

Analysis

The world order is becoming more complicated, as new factors in international relations, new means of influencing each other, as well as issues that need to be eliminated appear. Since 2015, the world community has launched a new joint plan aimed at the development of all states in the economic, environmental, and social spheres. Experts have long agreed that all aspects of the development of society are interconnected. World globalization has led to a severe dependence of the world economy on the development of all states. Failure in one country or region leads to significant changes and consequences throughout the planet.

First of all, learning the course has helped me to become more aware of the presence of mankind’s global problems that the SDGs are designed to solve. Secondly, I understood the importance of and need for international partnership and cooperation. After reading and analyzing articles on the countries’ development, I better understand their goals and intentions and the possible consequences of actions. Thus, to understand the content of such articles on international events and the development, knowledge of the processes taking place in the world is needed.

The articles discussed in the work raise issues of Morocco’s development. The report published in Morocco World News in July briefly describes the country’s achievements in the implementation of the SDGs and changes in this direction (Gianaris). After measuring progress, the country has updated its development model, focusing more on social protection and education. The article’s advantages are that the author mentions almost all SDGs, but since it has the form of a report, questions are raised only briefly without analysis.

An article in Modern Diplomacy describes the more recent events of the first week of December. Readers see that Morocco is responding to the crisis caused by the pandemic and is implementing measures to protect its population (“World Bank”). The World Bank will assist to ensure that Morocco’s progress in protecting the population is not lost and to support the affected households. Funding is mainly directed to programs for the poorest parts of society, as well as children who have been deprived of the opportunity to continue their education.

In conclusion, Morocco’s example shows the positive impact of the SDGs implementation in its development model. Government representatives note achievements in economic development, reducing unemployment, caring for the environment, establishing international ties, and other areas. Moreover, monitoring bodies have been established to measure progress in various areas and to draw attention to spheres where work is still required. In addition to internal changes, relations with international partners are actively developing. The coronavirus pandemic changed all countries’ activities, and the example of Morocco demonstrates that the country’s progress can remain stable and, with the support of the actors of international relations, care for the population remains a priority.

Works Cited

Gianaris, Kristen. “Morocco Submits 2020 Voluntary National Review of SDG Progress.”Morocco World News, 2020. Web.

“World Bank Supports Morocco’s Social Protection Response and Reform.”Modern Diplomacy, 2020. Web.

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