The Moroccan community living abroad is a main contributor to the support of the national economy, said, the prime minister, Mr. Saâd Eddine El Othmani, on Tuesday 1st August 2017 in Rabat. The head of the government added that the Transfers of Moroccans living abroad (MRE) have grown steadily over the last two decades, reaching 62.2 billion dirhams, compared with 20 MMDH in 1990’s. El Othmani was answering to a question on “the public policy review of the Moroccan migrants” during the monthly session in the second chamber.
After indicating that a small percentage of these transfers is dedicated to investment, the head of government explained that Moroccans living abroad invest more particularly in the real estate sector (41%), while investments in economic projects productivity is less than 14%.
In this context, he called for more mobilization to promote and attract moroccans from abroad for investments, ensuring that the government is working to set up mechanisms and measures to encourage, diversify and support investments by the moroccans living abroad In their country of origin.
Mr. El Othmani also said that the number of Moroccans abroad increased from 1.7 million in 1998 to more than 4.5 million today, in almost 13% of the population of Morocco, noting that the age of nearly 70% of them does not exceed 45 years, of which are born in foreign countries (20%).
He announced that Moroccans are established in more than 100 countries, with a high concentration in Europe, noting that 80% of the Moroccan migrants live in France, Spain, Italy, Belgium, the The Netherlands and Germany.
Reminding the Operation Marhaba, which is under the effective presidency of HM King Mohammed VI, the Head of Government said : « this is an unprecedented operation in the world in view of the great number of Moroccans regaining their country, highlighting the logistical, human, material and technical resources mobilized, in particular by the Mohammed V Foundation for solidarity, in order to ensure the operation. »
In addition, El Othmani said that the government has developed Arabic and Moroccan education programs that have benefited tens of thousands of Moroccan migrants, adding that the number of preachers sent abroad being in the service of Moroccans worldwide rose from 60 in 1998 to 220 in 2017.
With MAP
