This major commitment aims to expand employment opportunities through better labor market policies, boosting the fabric of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and catalytic investments in clean energy, energy efficiency, and export-oriented pharmaceutical industries.
This funding, the first in a series of three planned operations, supports Morocco’s Employment Roadmap in areas where change can truly improve people’s lives. The goal is to create more job opportunities for young people and women by developing intervention programs in the labor market, benefiting over 330,000 job seekers by 2029, and better aligning education and vocational training systems with the needs of the private sector. Female activity will also be supported by adding over 40,000 spots in accredited child care services and creating 1,200 direct jobs for women in this sector.
In addition to investment climate reforms, this operation also supports measures to enhance the business environment, with a focus on SMEs, as part of a broader effort to promote a more inclusive and resilient economy.
As Morocco works to develop its renewable energy sector, this funding provides timely support to remove barriers that have previously kept private investors at bay. It also supports the growth of energy efficiency services and the development of the Moroccan pharmaceutical industry’s presence in international markets, aiming to multiply exports by more than seven by 2029.
Recognizing the interconnected nature of job creation, business growth, and ecological transition, this program, supported by the World Bank Group, is designed to address these challenges in an integrated manner. This includes addressing youth unemployment, which remains high, and the declining participation of women in the labor market, removing constraints that hinder private investment potential, and reducing the vulnerability of the energy sector to external shocks while enhancing competitiveness.
Embedded in ongoing reforms in Morocco, this operation provides financial support and strategic impetus to accelerate progress. Structured programmatically, it is designed to produce tangible results on the ground. As reforms take root, subsequent operations will deepen the transformation of the investment climate and expand the prospects for green and inclusive growth, laying the foundation for lasting change.
“These reforms address one of the most persistent obstacles to job creation in Morocco: the slow emergence of high-growth enterprises. By simultaneously improving the business environment, removing specific sectoral constraints, and supporting the emergence of high-potential enterprises, this operation helps create the necessary conditions for businesses to expand, overcome financial difficulties, and attract sustainable investments,” said Ahmadou Moustapha Ndiaye, World Bank Country Director for the Maghreb and Malta.
