HIBAPRESS – Chafiq Annouri
The U.S. State Department, in its 2025 annual report, recommended investment in Morocco, considering it the "gateway to Africa" due to its political stability, modern infrastructure, and openness to Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
The American report stated that the Kingdom encourages international investment through a combination of favorable macroeconomic policies, structural reforms, and investment incentives.
The report affirmed that this dynamic aligns with the new development model and the 2030 digital strategy, aiming to diversify the economy and create job opportunities in the most promising sectors.
The report added that Morocco continues to invest heavily in green energy and digital technology, prioritizing several sectors, including renewable energy, the automotive and aviation industries, and agriculture.
According to the report, Morocco aims to raise the percentage of renewable energy to 40% of consumption by 2035, while the digital strategy seeks to create 240,000 jobs and train 100,000 young people annually.
The report pointed out that Morocco has launched major structural projects that enhance the country's attractiveness, such as the development of the Nador West Med port, the construction of the Dakhla Atlantic port, the expansion of airports, and the modernization of road and railway networks.
The report also clarified that the organization of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, and then the 2030 World Cup jointly with Spain and Portugal, represents an international platform to attract new investors to Morocco.
In contrast, the report recorded prominent obstacles, most notably administrative bureaucracy, slow regulatory reforms, a lack of transparency in some procedures, and the persistence of corruption.
The report indicated that in 2024, Morocco ranked 99th out of 180 countries in Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index, while 74% of citizens believed that corruption was present within public institutions.
The report concluded by noting that Morocco remains the only African country associated with Washington through a free trade agreement, which has led to an eightfold increase in trade since the agreement's implementation, with a pivotal role for the Casablanca Finance City as a regional center for financial services.
