Mohammed sails
Economist and expert
Despite an improvement situation, the job market remains marked by structural weaknesses. If the national unemployment rate fell slightly in the first quarter of 2025, regional disparities, the precariousness of employment for young people and the inadequacy between training and market needs persist. In this interview, the economist Mohamed Jadri deciphers the dynamics in progress and identifies the levers to activate for a broader and equitable inclusion in employment.
How do you generally assess the current dynamics of the labor market in Morocco, in connection with unemployment, at the start of the year?
It is essential to recall some relevant elements. First, between the first quarter of 2024 and the first quarter of 2025, the Moroccan economy underwent several shocks, which led to a considerable loss of jobs, especially in the agricultural sector. This is linked to the succession of drought years, a phenomenon that we had not known for several decades. Today at least, during the 1st quarter, demand on the job market in agriculture has revitalized, thanks to recent precipitation. Therefore, we have not lost as many positions as in 2024.
The second element lies in improving the purchasing power of Moroccans in general, through the increase in wages and the revaluation of income tax. These measures have driven the service sector and the purchase of products by generating jobs by companies.
The third element relates to economic recovery, especially for the public works sector, in conjunction with the African Cup and the World Cup, as well as the social project, in particular education and health.
Also note the positive development of the tourism sector which has created a large number of jobs. This stems from investments injected into the tourism sector as well as flexible monetary policy with the reduction of the key rate allowing more convenient access to financing. It is for all these reasons that the unemployment rate decreased by 13.7% to 13.3%. But this rate remains high compared to job demand in Morocco.
Despite a slight overall drop in the unemployment rate, that of young people (15-24 years) increased to 37.7%. Unemployment of graduates, although slightly decreased, also remains very high (19.4%). What avenues of solution could be envisaged?
Indeed, despite the drop in the unemployment rate in general, from 13.7% to 13.3%, unemployment remains high especially for youth, regardless of the level of young people with diplomas. Today, the adequacy between training and the needs of the job market is always acutely arises, in relation to promising sectors such as renewable energies, electric vehicles, tourism, digital and many others.
Therefore, there are many sectors that are applicants but who cannot recruit and find the necessary profiles. It is therefore essential to activate the reorientation of young people with superior diplomas for integration into the job market. This involves strengthening their linguistic level, their mastery of information technologies and also other elements capable of meeting the needs of the market.
In addition, a large number of young people who do not have diplomas cannot find a job. Through the new roadmap -through which we open the field for the first time in the history of Morocco to this category -, the Insertion program of the ANAPEC aims to provide a solution to this problem. This will allow you to find outlets for young people who do not have diplomas.
The unemployment rate has significant regional disparities. How to explain it?
Without a doubt, there are enormous territorial inequalities in Morocco in the area of employment market and unemployment. Today, we cannot compare a region like Casablanca-Settat with Drâa-Tafilalet, or Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima with Guelmim-Oued Noun, or even the region of Rabat-Salé-Kénitra with that of the Oriental.
Currently, the majority of investments in the private sector, or IDEs, are concentrated on the Tangier-Casa-Rabat and Kenitra-El Jadida axis. This prevents other regions from benefiting from this dynamic and the attractiveness necessary to attract investment. This is why it is essential to work more about the motorway, rail and sea connection by emphasizing the incentives of the new investment charter in favor of the least well -off territories. This question of territorial inequalities, which is one of the axes of the new 2035 development model, requires enormous work in these regions, especially the Oriental and the South Provinces.
From now on, two major projects, namely the Tiznit-Dakhla expressway and the new port of Dakhla, will contribute to the change of the situation by creating more added value. For the other regions, which depend on the rain in general, especially those of Béni Mellal-Khénifra and Fez-Meknès, they need colossal work to reduce territorial inequalities and create more jobs, especially for young people.
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