Country file Maroc

Country of Origin Information

Document published by:
General Inspectorate for Immigration
Directorate for Asylum and Integration
with the Romanian National Council for Refugees
within the National Program
Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund, 17.03.02
Management of COI Usage and Research processes

JUNE
2018

This work is destined for general information, in service of professional interest of all practitioners within asylum procedure in Romania. This work
does NOT analyze the merits of granting a form of international protection.
Title: Map of Morocco
Source: Lonely Planet, https://www.lonelyplanet.com/maps/africa/morocco/, accessed 29 June
2018.
Contents

General presentation ..................................................................................................................................... 3

Geography ..................................................................................................................................................... 4
Population and society .................................................................................................................................. 5
Government and administration .................................................................................................................... 6
Security ......................................................................................................................................................... 7
Economy ....................................................................................................................................................... 8
Annex: ........................................................................................................................................................... 9

Moroccan banknote................................................................................................................................... 9
Exchange rate ............................................................................................................................................ 9
Moroccan passport .................................................................................................................................. 10
Moroccan flag ......................................................................................................................................... 10
General presentation

Morocco, officially the Kingdom of Morocco, has a history rich in Berber, Arab, African and
European cultural influences. Neolithic hunters were the first to settle the coastal region of
Morocco some 8,000 years ago, and flourished until 4000 BC. The Berber kingdom of
Mauretania was the earliest known Moroccan state, and was ruled by Bocchus I. Under the
command of Uqba ibn Nafi of the Umayyads the first Islamic conquest of North Africa occurred
in 670 AD, and their language, system of government and Islam quickly spread to Morocco.
Even after the Arab ruling had diminished, the Berbers slowly continued to convert to Islam, and
the first Muslim state, the Kingdom of Nekor, was founded in the Rif Mountains in 710.1

The Alaouite Dynasty, to which the current Moroccan royal family belongs, dates from the 17th
century. In 1860, Spain occupied northern Morocco and ushered in a half century of trade rivalry
among European powers that saw Morocco's sovereignty steadily erode; in 1912, the French
imposed a protectorate over the country. A protracted independence struggle with France ended
successfully in 1956. The internationalized city of Tangier and most Spanish possessions were
turned over to the new country that same year. Sultan MOHAMMED V, the current monarch's
grandfather, organized the new state as a constitutional monarchy and in 1957 assumed the title
of king. Since Spain's 1976 withdrawal from what is today called Western Sahara, Morocco has
extended its de facto administrative control to roughly 75% of this territory; however, the UN
does not recognize Morocco as the administering power for Western Sahara. The UN since 1991
has monitored a cease-fire between Morocco and the Polisario Front - an organization
advocating the territory’s independence - and aims to restart negotiations over the status of the
territory.2
Internationally, Morocco has maintained a moderate stance, with strong ties to the West. It was
one of the first Arab and Islamic states to denounce the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United
States. In May 2003, Morocco itself was subjected to the more radical forces at work in the Arab
world when Islamist suicide bombers simultaneously struck a series of sites in Casablanca,
killing 45 and injuring more than 100 others. The Moroccan government responded with a
crackdown against Islamist extremists, ultimately arresting several thousand, prosecuting 1,200,
and sentencing about 900. Additional arrests followed in June 2004. That same month, the
United States designated Morocco a major non-North Atlantic Treaty Organization ally in
recognition of its efforts to thwart international terrorism. On January 1, 2006, a comprehensive
bilateral free-trade agreement between the United States and Morocco took effect.3

1
World Atlas, Morocco, https://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/africa/ma.htm, accessed 19 June 2018.
2
CIA, The World Factbook, Morocco, https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/resources/the-world-
factbook/geos/mo.html, accessed 19 June 2018.
3
United States Library of Congress, Country Profile - Morocco , May 2006, available at:
http://www.refworld.org/docid/46f9134ed.html [accessed 19 June 2018].
Geography

Morocco which has a land area of 710.850 Km², is located at the northwest of Africa. It is
bordered in the north by the Strait of Gibraltar and the Mediterranean Sea; to the south by
Mauritania; to the east by Algeria and to the west by the Atlantic Ocean.4

Four rugged mountain chains dominate Morocco’s topography and divide the country into three
geographic regions: the mountainous interior, including plateaus and fertile valleys; the Atlantic
coastal lowlands; and the semiarid and arid area of eastern and southern Morocco where the
mountains descend gradually into the Sahara Desert. In the north, the Rif mountain range runs
parallel to the Mediterranean. South of the Rif range, a series of three Atlas Mountain ranges
somewhat overlap one another as they slant across the country on a generally northeast-
southwest axis. The most northerly of the three, the Middle Atlas range, is separated from the Rif
by only a narrow corridor. The lofty High Atlas range is situated immediately to the south of the
Middle Atlas range and is parallel to it. Farther south and to the west lies the AntiAtlas range.
Morocco has the most extensive river system in North Africa. Its two most important rivers are
the Moulouya, which flows into the Mediterranean Sea, and the Sebou, which flows into the
Atlantic Ocean.5

Most of Morocco north of the Western Sahara, particularly along the coasts, experiences a
typical Mediterranean climate, with mild wet winters and hot dry summers. The rainy season
generally extends from October to April. Torrential downpours occasionally produce devastating
floods, but overall several factors act to reduce the country’s rainfall. Morocco is on the southern
margins of the mid-latitude tract of frontal storm systems that regularly traverse the North
Atlantic. As a result, rainfall levels are relatively low and gradually decrease from north to south.
High-pressure ridges, moreover, periodically develop offshore during the rainy season, shifting
storms to the north. Drought results when these ridges persist for extended periods. The cold
Canary Current off the western shores also induces atmospheric stability and further decreases
the potential for precipitation.6

Environment - current issues: land degradation/desertification (soil erosion resulting from

farming of marginal areas, overgrazing, destruction of vegetation); water supplies contaminated
by raw sewage; siltation of reservoirs; oil pollution of coastal waters.7

4
Embassy of Morocco Australia-New zealand-Pacific States, Geography,
http://www.moroccoembassy.org.au/?q=geography, accessed 18 June 2018.
5
See note 3.
6
Enciclopaedia Britannica, Morocco, https://www.britannica.com/place/Morocco/Climate, accessed 19 June 2018.
7
See note 2.
Population and society

As of mid-2006, Morocco had an estimated total population of 33.2 million. During 1998–2006,
the population grew at an average 1.6 percent annual rate. The population is concentrated in the
northwestern part of the country, west of the Atlas Mountains. Some 58 percent of the population
lives in cities. The net migration rate was estimated to be –0.87 migrants per 1,000 in 2005.
About 100,000 foreign nationals reportedly reside in Morocco.8

Morocco is undergoing a demographic transition. Its population is growing but at a declining

rate, as people live longer and women have fewer children. Infant, child, and maternal mortality
rates have been reduced through better health care, nutrition, hygiene, and vaccination coverage,
although disparities between urban and rural and rich and poor households persist. Morocco’s
shrinking child cohort reflects the decline of its total fertility rate from 5 in mid-1980s to 2.2 in
2010, which is a result of increased female educational attainment, higher contraceptive use,
delayed marriage, and the desire for smaller families. Young adults (persons aged 15-29) make
up almost 26% of the total population and represent a potential economic asset if they can be
gainfully employed. Currently, however, many youths are unemployed because Morocco’s job
creation rate has not kept pace with the growth of its working-age population. Most youths who
have jobs work in the informal sector with little security or benefits.9

Morocco is composed mainly of Arabs and Imazighen or an admixture of the two. Sizable
numbers of Imazighen live mainly in the country’s mountainous regions—long areas of refuge
for them where they can preserve their language and culture. Some segments of the population
are descendants of refugees from Spain who fled from the Reconquista, the Christian reconquest
of the Iberian Peninsula in the 15th century. Trade and slavery brought a significant population
of sub-Saharan Africans to Morocco, and their descendants now live chiefly in the southern
oases and in the larger cities. (...) Islam is the official state religion, and the vast majority of
Moroccans are Sunni Muslims of the Mālikī rite. The royal house, the ʿAlawite dynasty, has
ruled since the 17th century basing its claim to legitimacy on descent from the Prophet
Muhammad. The royal family is revered by Moroccan Muslims because of its prophetic lineage.
As in many Islamic countries, Sufism claims adherents, and forms of popular religion—
including the veneration of saints and the visitation of tombs—are widely practiced.10

Arabic is the official language. Berber dialects also are spoken and increasingly used as a
language of instruction in schools. French is often the language of business, government, and
diplomacy and is taught in the schools. Spanish is spoken in the northern part of the country.11

8
See note 3.
9
See note 2.
10
See note 6.
11
See note 3.
Government and administration

Groomed for „kingship”, as his late father King Hassan II referred to his upbringing, Mohammed
VI became monarch in 1999. He initiated political and economic changes and an investigation
into human rights abuses during his father's rule. A key reform was the Mudawana, a law which
grants more rights to women. The king has said it is in line with Koranic principles, but religious
conservatives have opposed it. Following pressure for reform inspired by the "Arab Spring" of
2010, a new constitution was introduced, expanding the powers of parliament and the prime
minister but leaving the king with broad authority over all branches of government.12

Morocco is a constitutional monarchy led by King Mohammad VI, who succeeded his father,
King Hassan II, in 1999. Despite the creation of an elected bicameral parliament with somewhat
expanded powers in the constitution of 1996, the king continues to hold the ultimate authority.13
A number of opposition political parties have been formed in the past several years, which are
legal. Arab Spring protests reached Morocco in February 2011, and citizens gathered in Rabat
protesting for a new constitution. By July of that same year, King Mohammed VI won a victory
on a reformed constitution he initially proposed to appease the protestors. Demonstrations
continued through 2012 by citizens pushing for deeper reforms, and accusing the government of
failing to deliver.14

Since its appointment on April 5th, 2017, Morocco’s government coalition led by the Justice and
Development Party (PJD) has moved along with rolling out the reforms initiated under the
previous government, focusing mainly on social protection programs, job creation and reducing
economic disparities across the country.

Over the past few months, the government has been confronted to increased pressure from the
population of the Jerada province (Northeastern Morocco), claiming an “alternative economy” to
alleviate poverty and exclusion in the region. A proposed government economic plan for the
province was developed to tackle the region’s development constraints.

More generally, the government is working on the development of a vision to respond to King
Mohammed VI’s call to review the country’s development model. This comes after his decision
to dismiss several high-level officials last October further to the publication of the Audit court’s
report pointing out shortcomings in the delivery of development programs for the Rif region; a
region that also staged a wave of social protests over the course of the past year and a half.15

12
BBC, Morocco Country profile, 24 April 2018, http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-14121438, accessed 25
June 2018.
13
See note 3.
14
World Atlas, Morocco, https://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/africa/ma.htm, accessed 25 June 2018.
15
The World Bank, Morocco Overview, last updated 16 April 2018,
http://www.worldbank.org/en/country/morocco/overview#1, accessed 25 June 2018.
Security

Morocco responded to ongoing demonstrations in the restive Rif region throughout 2017 with its
characteristic vacillation between tolerance and repression. Security forces allowed many street
protests to proceed against the central government's alleged neglect of the region's needs, but,
starting in May, moved to arrest activists of the so-called Hirak Rif movement, beating and
abusing many of them. Some were subsequently imprisoned after unfair trials. A court
imprisoned a well-known journalist-commentator on dubious charges relating to inciting the
Hirak Rif demonstrations. The political process for self-determination of Western Sahara, a
territory under Moroccan control, remained stalled with little international mediation or
attention. Morocco proposes autonomy under its continued rule but rejects a referendum on
independence. The government systematically prevented gatherings in Western Sahara
supporting Sahrawi self-determination.16

The authorities used Penal Code provisions on insult and on incitement to protest or rebellion to
prosecute and imprison journalists, bloggers and activists who criticized officials or reported on
human rights violations, corruption or popular protests. In the second half of the year,
prosecutors investigated at least one protester for "false reporting" after he claimed that the
police had tortured him. Courts also convicted and imprisoned journalists and activists on vague
and overly broad state security and terrorism offences in what amounted to punishment for their
criticism of the authorities.17

Cases of excessive force by police and torture in custody continue to occur. A number of the
Hirak Rif protesters detained during 2017 reported being beaten and injured during arrest, and
some prominent detainees – including Zefzafi, who remained in detention at year's end – were
subjected to prolonged solitary confinement while awaiting trial. Prisons often suffer from
overcrowding. Terrorism remains a threat to physical security in the country, though the
authorities have had some success in preventing attacks. Security forces reportedly broke up
local cells of the Islamic State militant group during 2017.18

Internal security is generally effective, and acts of political violence are rare (one exception, a
terrorist bombing in May 2003 in Casablanca, killed scores). The UN maintains a small observer
force in Western Sahara, where a large number of Morocco’s troops are stationed.19

16
Human Rights Watch, World Report 2018 - Morocco/Western Sahara, 18 January 2018, available at:
http://www.refworld.org/docid/5a61ee4ba.html [accessed 28 June 2018].
17
Amnesty International, Amnesty International Report 2017/18 - Morocco/Western Sahara, 22 February 2018,
available at: http://www.refworld.org/docid/5a9938ac4.html [accessed 28 June 2018].
18
Freedom House, Freedom in the World 2018 - Morocco, 28 May 2018, available at:
http://www.refworld.org/docid/5b2cb85e4.html [accessed 28 June 2018].
19
Enciclopaedia Britannica, Morocco, https://www.britannica.com/place/Morocco/Local-government#ref247623,
accessed 25 June 2018.
Economy

Corruption is rife in state institutions and the economy. Despite the government's rhetoric on
combating corruption, it has a mixed record on enforcement. After considerable political
maneuvering, the powers of the main anticorruption body, the Central Authority for the
Prevention of Corruption (ICPC), were strengthened in 2015. At the party level, the PJD benefits
from a perception that it is relatively free of corruption.

For the past several years, the government has published the annual budget and other financial
information online and has proactively discussed such matters with the press. However, overall
transparency is limited, as the monarchy plays an outsized role in the economy and is the
majority stakeholder in a vast array of private and public-sector firms.20

Unemployment remained on an upward trend, rising from 9.9% in 2016 to 10.2% in 2017,
especially prevalent among the young and the educated, as well as women, reflecting the weak
capacity of the economy to generate inclusive growth. (...) Results based on the national poverty
line indicate a sharp decline in poverty between 2001 and 2014.21  

Since its appointment on April 5th, 2017, Morocco’s government coalition led by the Justice and
Development Party (PJD) has moved along with rolling out the reforms initiated under the
previous government, focusing mainly on social protection programs, job creation and reducing
economic disparities across the country. Over the past few months, the government has been
confronted to increased pressure from the population of the Jerada province (Northeastern
Morocco), claiming an “alternative economy” to alleviate poverty and exclusion in the region. A
proposed government economic plan for the province was developed to tackle the region’s
development constraints.22

Key sectors of the economy include agriculture, tourism, aerospace, automotive, phosphates,
textiles, apparel, and subcomponents. Morocco has increased investment in its port,
transportation, and industrial infrastructure to position itself as a center and broker for business
throughout Africa. Industrial development strategies and infrastructure improvements - most
visibly illustrated by a new port and free trade zone near Tangier - are improving Morocco's
competitiveness. (...) Despite Morocco's economic progress, the country suffers from high
unemployment, poverty, and illiteracy, particularly in rural areas. Key economic challenges for
Morocco include reforming the education system and the judiciary.23

20
See note 18.
21
The World Bank, Morocco's Economic Outlook - April 2018, 16 April 2018,
http://www.worldbank.org/en/country/morocco/publication/economic-outlook-april-2018, accessed 26 June
2018.
22
See note 15.
23
Index Mundi, Morocco Economy Profile 2018, https://www.indexmundi.com/morocco/economy_profile.html,
accessed 27 June 2018.
Annex:

Moroccan banknote24:

Exchange rate25:

24
Morocco 100 Dirhams, https://www.banknotes.com/ma76.htm, accessed 28 June 2018.
25
Exchange rates UK, https://www.exchangerates.org.uk/Moroccan-Dirham-MAD-currency-table.html.
Moroccan passport26:

Moroccan flag27:

26
Moroccan passport, https://www.vietnamvisaonline.net/upload/Morocco_Passport_visa_vietnam.jpg,
accesssed 25.05.2018.
27
Flagpedia, Flag of Morocco, http://flagpedia.net/morocco, accessed 29 June 2018.
Published by:
This document is a product of the General Inspectorate for Immigration in partnership with the Romanian
National Council for Refugees by the grant contract FAMI / 17.03.02 – Management of COI Usage and
Research Processes – Romanian National Council for Refugees.

EDITORIAL TEAM EDITORIAL TEAM

General Inspectorate for Immigration Romanian National Council for Refugees
Asylum and Integration Directorate ROCCORD Center
International Protection and Asylum
Procedures Service

SUPERVISION: COORDINATOR AND EDITOR

Mircea BABĂU – Director DAI Lavinia TEIOȘANU

NATIONAL EXPERT: COMPILER:

Felix DAVID Lavinia TEIOȘANU

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conjunction with other relevant data. Title of the paper will not be quoted without explicit consent of the
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