The latest report from the High Commission for Planning (HCP) reveals significant economic disparities across Morocco, highlighting that three major urban and industrial hubs—Casablanca-Settat, Rabat-Salé-Kénitra, and Tanger-Tétouan-Al Hoceïma—accounted for a staggering 58.4% of the national GDP in 2024. This concentration of economic activity underscores the persistent issue of uneven development within the country, which directly impacts living standards and household consumption.
According to the recent findings presented in the HCP's "Regional Accounts 2024" report, Morocco is experiencing a troubling trend of socio-economic polarization. Despite a national growth rate of 4.4%, value creation remains heavily centered around these three regions. The weekly magazine Challenge emphasizes that the economic landscape is characterized by a high density of industrial activities, a dominant services sector, and advanced infrastructure, notably the Tanger Med port complex.
In stark contrast, the southern regions and Drâa-Tafilalet contribute a mere 7.8% to the national GDP, highlighting the limited economic engagement of these vast territories in wealth generation. This spatial asymmetry has direct repercussions on living standards and consumption indicators across the nation. While certain regions, such as Dakhla-Oued Ed-Dahab, boast a high per capita GDP of 92,904 dirhams—significantly above the national average of 43,891 dirhams—most regions still fall short of this benchmark.
Moreover, household final consumption expenditures further reflect this polarization, with five regions accounting for nearly three-quarters of these expenditures. Notably, Casablanca-Settat alone represents a quarter of national consumption. The economic vulnerability of local structures is evident, particularly in the Fès-Meknès region, which relies heavily on the primary sector, with agriculture constituting 24.6% of its regional GDP. This dependency has resulted in the region recording the lowest growth in the country in 2024, at a mere 1.6%, primarily due to a decline in agricultural activity. In contrast, Laâyoune-Saguia El Hamra experienced a growth rate of 7.6%, driven by its robust secondary and service sectors.
This uneven economic dynamic resonates with the strategic political orientations highlighted by the sovereign in his October 2025 royal address, which rejected the notion of a two-speed Morocco and called for genuine territorial equity. To support this territorial restructuring and refine public decision-making tools, the institutional and statistical framework of the state is also evolving. Recently, the Chamber of Advisors adopted Bills No. 47.26 and 46.26, aimed at transforming the High Commission for Planning into an autonomous governance body and modernizing the entire national statistical system. This extensive reform seeks to institutionalize the regional dimension in data collection and analysis, a crucial step towards designing public policies capable of sustainably addressing territorial imbalances.
As reported by fr.le360.ma.
