Morocco Achieves 76th Position in the Global Legatum Prosperity Index
The Legatum Institute has recently unveiled its latest edition of the Legatum Prosperity Index, revealing that Morocco has climbed to the prestigious 76th position among approximately 170 assessed economies. This significant advancement reflects the country's improved governance and business environment, although it also highlights ongoing challenges related to human capital and social cohesion. The Prosperity Index is a comprehensive assessment that aggregates over 150 indicators across twelve pillars, including governance, security, individual freedoms, social capital, investment environment, business conditions, market access, infrastructure, economic quality, living conditions, health, education, and the natural environment. These factors collectively evaluate a nation's ability to provide a sustainable prosperity framework for its citizens.
Resilience of the Moroccan Model: A Positive Trajectory
Historically, previous editions of the Legatum Prosperity Index placed Morocco in the lower half of the rankings, hovering around the 96th position in the early 2020s. This was characterized by a mixed performance, with a relatively better-rated business environment contrasted against weaker indicators of human capital. Recent analyses from the Arab Investment Guarantee Corporation (Dhaman) corroborated that Morocco was still positioned low on the global prosperity scale in 2023, despite being among the leaders in North Africa regarding investment attractiveness. Furthermore, Morocco is recognized for its substantial tourism potential and diverse agriculture; however, it faces significant youth unemployment and public debt challenges, which negatively impact its overall prosperity score, albeit the country maintains a generally positive trajectory.
According to Dhaman’s detailed assessments, Morocco exhibits relatively strong rankings in investment environment and business conditions, while areas like social capital and individual freedoms lag behind. This reflects a decade-long focus on infrastructure modernization and business climate reforms. In previous African rankings, Morocco consistently ranked in the top 10 of the Legatum Index, trailing behind leaders such as Mauritius and Botswana, and closely competing with countries like Tunisia and Namibia. This illustrates Morocco's intermediate prosperity profile, boasting stronger fundamentals than the African average but still distant from OECD standards.
For Moroccan policymakers, the ascent to 76th place in the Legatum Prosperity Index serves as a valuable indicator in their ongoing evaluation of public policies, initiated with investment charter reforms and the rollout of social protection initiatives. The Legatum Institute emphasizes that prosperity transcends mere per capita income; it hinges on the quality of institutions, safety, and social cohesion—areas where Morocco still has ample room for improvement despite recent advancements recognized in the latest rankings. Ultimately, the challenge for Rabat lies in leveraging the detailed index data to prioritize reforms, ranging from enhancing trust between institutions and citizens to solidifying gains in the investment environment, especially as the next annual updates of the Legatum Prosperity Index approach.
As reported by capmad.com.
