COUNTRY PROFILE

Morocco
Municipalities site visite
 URBAN PLANNING
AND DESIGN
FOREWORD

UN-Habitat has been cooperating with Morocco since 1995 on national and local programs in the field of sustainable urban development. Today, in

URBAN LEGISLATION, LAND

AND GOVERNANCE
order to implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially Goal 11 - “Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and
sustainable” – and to mobilize Morocco towards Habitat III, UN-Habitat engages in development challenges in cities, promotion of decent housing
and improvement of basic services and development of an urban and regional environmental framework. Since its establishment this cooperation
and partnership have directly involved four key ministries and nearly twenty cities in the Kingdom, as well as helped with capacity building of national
and local stakeholders. In its work UN-Habitat supports ministries and national agencies as well as municipalities with operational projects, national
strategies, technical expertise and capacity building through: (i) an integrated approach on territorial issues; (ii) bridging the urban divide; and (iii) the
participation of stakeholders in decision-making and implementation of programs. The cooperation between the Kingdom of Morocco und UN-Habitat

ECONOMY
URBAN
is taking place against a set of specific urban challenges.

URBAN BASIC
SERVICES
Monceyf Fadili

SLUM UPGRADING
HOUSING AND
Advisor UN-Habitat Morocco

RISK REDUCTION AND

REHABILITATION
CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT
URBAN RESEARCH AND
Country Profile - Morocco
3
 URBAN ISSUES
33.85
Population (2014)
million
GDP Growth per year 2011-
4%
on average 20131
Inequality adjusted
Human Development 129/187 (2013)2
Index rank
Urban Population 60% (2014)3
Population Growth
1% (2014)4
Rate
Urbanization Growth
2% (2014)5
Rate
Proportion of urban
from 8.2% (2004) to
population living in
to 3.9% (2010)6
slum areas
Youth population
19.8% (2010)7
(15-24)

Dynamics of Urbanization
As of 2014, the overall population size of Morocco
had increased from 11.6 to 33.8 million inhabitants
since the first general census of population and
housing took place in 1960. During this period, the
Kasbah of Oudayas - UNESCO World Heritage (2012)
size of the urban population multiplied five times
while the size of rural population increased by only
1.5 times. The share of the urban population was per year. The predicted pace of the growth decline 2030.
around 29% in 1960. Due to the growth of the is extended for the period 2014-2030 with an
urban population, migration into the cities and average annual growth of the urban population As far as rural-urban migration is concerned, the
the expansion of the urban perimeter it reached of 290,000 inhabitants. Conversely, cities were average annual net urban migration was only
up to 67% in 20158. While the growth of the growing much faster between 1971 and 1982 about 67,000 people between 1960 and 1971 to
urban population between the 1982 and 1994 with an urbanization rate of 0.73% per year. The reach 102,000 people between 1994 and 2004.
censuses amounted to nearly 400,000 inhabitants urbanization rate dropped to 0.40% per year According to the Moroccan High Commission for
per year, the increase slowed down between 1994 between 1994 and 2014, and it is expected that Planning, the contribution of rural migration to the
and 2004 and was steady between 2004 and urban population growth will likely be further urbanization rate was reduced to 35% between
2014 with a level of about 310,000 inhabitants reduced to 0.30% per year between 2014 and 1994 and 2004 compared to 43% between

1 National Report – Habitat III 5 http://databank.worldbank.org/data/reports.aspx?source=2& 8 The World Bank (2015): Urban population (% of total); http://
2 http://hdr.undp.org/en/content/inequality-adjusted-hdi country=MAR&series=&period= data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS
3 http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS 6 Source: Ministry of Housing and Urban Policy
4 http://databank.worldbank.org/data/reports.aspx?source=2& 7 http://www.escwa.un.org/popin/members/morocco.pdf
country=MAR&series=&period=

4 Country Profile - Morocco

 URBAN PLANNING
AND DESIGN
URBAN LEGISLATION, LAND
AND GOVERNANCE
ECONOMY
URBAN
URBAN BASIC
SERVICES
Informal settlement Carrières Centrales, Casablanca. The oldest slum in Morocco (1907), relocated from 2010 to 2012.

SLUM UPGRADING
HOUSING AND
1971 and 1982.At the geographical level the exceeds 50,000 people. The cities with more and employment outside the home in addition
allocation of human settlements is very disparate. than 50,000 inhabitants, despite their limited to the extension of the use of family planning
Urbanization in Morocco has been marked by number, concentrate more than 88% of the urban methods in both urban and rural areas. The rate
coastal development and urban growth mainly in population. of current use of contraception is estimated at

RISK REDUCTION AND

the corridor Kénitra-Rabat-Casablanca-El-Jadida. 67.4%10 Nonetheless, in 2015 nearly 44% of the

REHABILITATION
Along this strip, which extends over 230 km, the Demographic Change population is younger than 25 years and 18% of
concentrated urban population is estimated by The total fertility rate dropped by two-thirds within them was unemployed as of 2012.11 Morocco
the Ministry of Urban and Regional Planning at 40 years from 7 to 2.6 children per woman in needs an urban framework that is capable of
about 40% of the national urban population. childbearing age in 2011.9 The speed of the absorbing and utilizing this potential, otherwise
According to the General Census of 2004, there second phase of the demographic transition the youth bulge will become a source of unrest
were 351 cities and urban centres. 297 cities have that began in the late 1970s is attributed to the and instability.

CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT
URBAN RESEARCH AND
a population below 50,000 inhabitants, while delay in the marriage age for women due to the
in the 54 remaining, the number of inhabitants noticeable progress in their access to education

9 Ministère de la Santé Royaume du Maroc (2011): Enquête

Nationale sur la Population et la Santé Familiale (ENPSF); Rabat: 17
10 Ibid., 18
11 https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/
geos/mo.html

Country Profile - Morocco

5
 Urban Economy Risks associated with climate change and natural the economic, social, health care and education
The city is the driving force of economic hazards in cities need to be better understood, levels.
development. It is the principal source of wealth and measures to increase resilience to the impacts
creation with contributing more than 75% to the of climate change and reduce disaster risks will
national GDP. A major source of tax generation
for the state, it is also the place of hope and
be essential, and will necessitate cooperation
between states on certain issues. Improved
UN-HABITAT
integration for many rural people. The city is
also the place of modernity and preparation
enforcement of building codes and disaster
resilient construction methods and strengthened
PROGRAMMES
of citizens to face the challenges of the future.
The big challenges facing the city include the
institutional capacity to do so is also very much
needed. Therefore, in facing the ecological
IN MOROCCO
creation of 250,000 jobs every year for the 15 challenges and requirements of urbanization, Urbanization is characterized by a complex set of
years to come, compared to 150,000 currently. UN-Habitat and the Kingdom of Morocco have - sometimes contradicting - dynamics. Cities form
It’s worth stating that in 2007, according to the to cooperate in developing a coherent strategy the setting of everyday life for their inhabitants
High Commission for Planning, there were one for sustainable urban development. and at the same time are economic entities
million unemployed people in urban areas and enmeshed in the global economy. To engage
more than three million urban dwellers were living Challenges Identified by the in urban development requires articulation of
in a difficult financial situation: 27% under the Moroccan Government compromises between the interests of various
poverty line and 73% in a precarious situation. social strata as well as considerations of
Morocco has committed to developing the environmental concerns.
national strategy of human settlements in
order to absorb the accumulated undesired In order to respond to urban growth, new cities
developments stemming from rapid constitute a new component of the urban fabric
urbanization and to meet future needs. This in Morocco and provide potential areas for spatial
strategy focuses on four areas: planning, economic activities and provision of
adequate housing. By managing and planning
1. Territorial planning will focus on urbanization, linking market demand to new
decentralization and will be based on a new and labour pools and creating connected regional
more appropriate local community development; urban areas, these large integrated projects of
Maroc Telecom in Hay Ryad, a new 2. Housing will be based on a concept of urban extension respond to the societal needs
neighbourhood in Rabat integrated development of rural and urban generated by urban growth.
housing, with priority to social housing and the
Environment development of small towns as well as easy access Informal settlements pose the biggest challenge
Cities, with their vast and concentrated to housing through participatory approaches; to sustainable and inclusive urban planning and
accumulations of people, new patterns of 3. Environmental issues related to human management, especially in peri-urban areas.
production and consumption pose a major settlements: housing, drinkable water, sanitation, Given their constant growth due to population
environmental burden. They not only affect transport and industry, disaster prevention, etc.; growth and rural-urban migration, and various
the environment directly, but also challenge 4. Social development will be extended to legal forms of land tenure, especially in urban
municipalities’ capacity to provide access to water pursue sustainable human development through centres, these settlements require interventions
and sanitation as well as solid waste management. providing help to poor and vulnerable groups at to address the existing situation and develop

6 Country Profile - Morocco

 URBAN PLANNING
AND DESIGN
instruments for preventing the creation and the Moroccan government in facing urban issues. implementation of a strategic urban framework
growth of informal settlements. for large metropolitan projects aiming at the
URBAN PLANNING improvement of conditions of living, particularly
Key Areas Identified for the for vulnerable and marginalized groups.
Partnership 2013-2016 AND DESIGN

URBAN LEGISLATION, LAND

AND GOVERNANCE
At regional level, the project aims to articulate
• Slum Upgrading and Informal Housing: Project: Support Program to UN-Habitat’s work on decentralization with the
Technical support to the “Cities without Al Omrane Holding and to the Advanced Regionalization Project launched by
Slums” program – implementation of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Morocco. This national project will give to the
Rabat Declaration: “Making slums history: Policy country a more powerful territorial architecture,
a worldwide challenge for 2020”; in response to the challenges of development,
• New Cities: Support the coordination The project and its three strategic axes of work competitiveness and complementarity between

ECONOMY
URBAN
between operational entities in planning are in accordance with the main fields of interest the various territories. Intended to change the
new cities in the frame of the implementation and national strategies relating to: image of a country marked by territorial disparities
of the new Urban Policy Strategy adopted and inequalities, the project aims at reviewing
by the government in 2012; Contribution (i) New towns; the territorial configuration and vocations, within

URBAN BASIC
SERVICES
to the competitiveness and integration of (ii) New extension of metropolitan areas; the framework of a territorial planning policy,
clusters as new spatial areas for investments, (iii) Prevention and integration of informal concerned with better coordination between the
jobs and wealth opportunities; settlements. regions and by the development of integrated
• Dissemination of Best Practices: Validation spaces. This should make of the regions key

SLUM UPGRADING
of successful operations resulting from slum The project is aligned with UN-Habitat’s focus partners in the development of Al Omrane

HOUSING AND
upgrading programmes and new cities: (i) at areas and the New Urban Agenda as it responds Holding’s urban planning and housing operations
national level for better visibility on public to the main challenges in terms of developing as well as national and local authorities.
policies; (ii) at international level, within the urban areas that are productive, inclusive and
framework of South-South cooperation; sustainable. The expected accomplishment is The outputs to be produced by the project in
• Global Conference on Al-Omrane Holding to identify jointly with the partners and the national urban policies and spatial frameworks are

RISK REDUCTION AND

(HAO) Program Evaluation: The main stakeholders, new strategic frameworks for in compliance with UN-Habitat’s overall objective

REHABILITATION
goal is to enhance the action of HAO for 3 metropolitan projects: New towns – City on the following issues:
access to housing for all. The contribution extension – Integration of informal settlements.
of successful experiences at regional • Compact, as the strategy for the new
level can be a good asset to strengthen The strategic urban framework adopted by the towns aims at optimizing the pattern of
communication and cooperation; project presents many assets in terms of gender urban growth by implementing a new
• Preparation for the Third United Nations mainstreaming and gender equality, a common and sustainable urbanization model and

CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT
URBAN RESEARCH AND
Conference on Housing and Sustainable and shared vision on urban development, a territorial planning policy;
Urban Development (Habitat III) participatory process, a bottom-up approach • Socially inclusive by promoting equity
integrating civil society, accountability from through equal access to basic services,
official elected as well as institutional partners. In particularly for informal housing;
The following programme descriptions will serve as addition, the level of intervention remains mainly • Connected through adequate transport
an example of UN-Habitat’s approach in supporting strategic, as the purpose of the project is the systems as well as new technologies of

Country Profile - Morocco

7
 information and communication;
• Integrated by strong links, with its
environment and surrounding areas, at
local and national level;
• Resilient to climate change by integrating
new technologies and new environmental
frameworks in this field.

A New Urban Agenda

• The Urban Policy adopted by Morocco
translates the new interest for the city and its
development, in a context of urban growth
and high local demand. The following
objectives adopted by the project guide
this mechanism, which is a component of
UN-Habitat’s strategy on this matter:
• Reinforce the inter-functional linkages
between towns;
• I m p ro v e t h e a t t r a c t i v e n e s s a n d
competitiveness of towns for an inclusive
Relocated neighbourhood of Lahraouiyne, 13 km from Casablanca
economic growth;
• Ensure social equity, integration and
solidarity; HOUSING AND SLUM strategic framework on two integrated operations
• Improve the quality of the living spaces. of informal housing. The issue of an equitable
UPGRADING access to basic services is one of the main axes
This process is completed by oriented objectives for the improvement of living conditions for
to the development of a better structured urban Project: The National Cities vulnerable and marginalized groups.
fabric to: Without Slums Programme
• Ensure the macro-economic balance of The national Cities Without Slums Programme
the cities; UN-Habitat has been supporting the Ministry of remains the reference at national level for slum
• Ensure the complementarity between the Housing and Urban Policy since 2004 through upgrading policies, reduction of poverty and
urban pillars; the Cities Without Slums National Programme improvement of conditions of living for vulnerable
• Articulate the approaches of urban “Villes sans bidonvilles”. The current project - and marginalized groups. As an example, the
development and planning with the based on technical support to the Moroccan programme was awarded to the UN-Habitat
development of urban pillars; Government - integrates a component for a Scroll of Honour in the frame of World Habitat

8 Country Profile - Morocco

 URBAN PLANNING
AND DESIGN
Day, 2010. best performers to an international conference Key Partners
organized in partnership with UN-Habitat. The Ministry of Housing and Urban Policy, Al
This process, supported by UN-Habitat since the Omrane Holding’s umbrella department and
launching of the programme in 2004, has reached Conference Objectives UN-Habitat counterpart, is in charge of the
one of the highest rates of reduction of slums Urban Policy since 2012. The focus is on (i)

URBAN LEGISLATION, LAND

AND GOVERNANCE
at global level (around 60%), according to the • Formulate specific recommendations control and management of cities’ growth; (ii)
MDGs – Goal 7, target 11: “By 2020, to have to guide the policies on slum-dwellers urban strategic planning; (iii) balance between
achieved a significant improvement in the lives living conditions improvement and the productive city and the inclusive city; (iv)
of at least 100 million slum dwellers” and to the the development of adequate housing search for complementarities between urban
SDGs – Goal 11: “Make cities inclusive, safe, alternatives as a means to prevent the and regional spaces; (v) development of an
resilient and sustainable”. formation of new slums (Rabat Declaration); urban policy in close correlation with a vision of
• Devise the strategy required to revise Target territorial planning.

ECONOMY
URBAN
All the stakeholders are involved in this process – 7.d of MDGs and adjust it to the different
at local and national level – through city contracts, national conditions by halving slums at The General Directorate of the Local Governments
to reduce poverty and to provide an adequate global level; (DGCL), Ministry of Interior, is the entity dedicated
housing for all, which is a component of the new • Share successful experiences, approaches to the management of communes. As a focal

URBAN BASIC
SERVICES
Moroccan Constitution (2011, Art. 31). and performance evaluation methods in point of the territorial administration, it finances
the area of slum clearance; and supervises the communes, through the
UN-Habitat remains a key partner in this process, • Generalize the outcome of the Conference powers of the walis and governors, who play a
particularly through its technical support to the to Least Developed Countries (LDCs), crucial role in the coordination of the various State

SLUM UPGRADING
prevention of informal settlements. The Moroccan particularly in Africa, to help them departments policies. The DGCL also plays a key

HOUSING AND
National Report for Habitat III has dedicated a implement effective slum reduction policies; part in the capacity building of the communes
special chapter to the Housing Strategy for • Strengthen partnerships between Morocco to enable them to assume their responsibility as
inclusive housing, slum upgrading as well as and African countries. regards strategic urban planning.
slum prevention.
As a confirmation of this collective involvement for • The Ministry of Housing and Urban
International Conference:

RISK REDUCTION AND

improved policies on slum upgrading and access Policy is in charge of housing and urban

REHABILITATION
“Making Slums History: A to housing for all, the UN-Habitat Governing policies;
Worldwide Challenge for Council 25 (2013) adopted a resolution which • Al-Omrane Development Holding (HAO)
2020” (Rabat, 2012) reflects the Rabat Declaration, as a commitment is the strategic tool of the state for slum
from the participants at the conference to face the upgrading, social housing, large scale urban
In an effort to learn as much as possible from challenge of slums as well as adapted prevention projects and new towns;
the substandard housing reduction policies strategies at national and local level. UN-Habitat • The municipalities and local authorities are

CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT
URBAN RESEARCH AND
implemented by other governments and cities still works on this issues at national level through in charge of the implementation of national
around the world, Morocco invited the 20 its technical support to prevent informal housing. policies and urban programs at local level;

Country Profile - Morocco

9
 • Local, regional and national partners as well as the private sector
and civil society actors are involved in project development and
implementation.

Prizes awarded to Morocco within the framework of the partnership

with UN-Habitat

• 2010 – UN-Habitat Scroll of Honour for the Cities Without Slums

Program “Villes sans bidonvilles”, World Habitat Day, Shanghai,
China, October 2010.
• 2001 – Istanbul+5 – Best Practices Prize for the Poverty Reduction
Program, Special Assembly on Habitat II+5, New York.
• 1996 – Habitat II – Best Practices Prize for the Project of Agadir City
“Improving Housing Conditions”, Istanbul.
• 1995 –UN-Habitat Scroll of Honor for the Project of Taza City awarded
to the National Shelter Upgrading Agency (ANHI), World Habitat
Day, Curitiba, Brazil.

Minister of Housing and Urban Policy Mohammed Nabil Benabdallah

(right) and ED of UN-Habitat Joan Clos (left).

OUTLOOK CURRENT PROJECTS

- Implementation of the New Urban Agenda and the SDG 11; Annual Budget June 2014 to May 2016
- A Global Conference on Slum Upgrading: • 1st year: US $ 177,870 i.e. MAD 1,469,206
National housing, slum upgrading and prevention strategies and • 2nd year: US $ 156,835 i.e. MAD 1,295,457
programmes integrating the vision and principles of the Global Housing
Strategy will be formulated and implemented; A total of US $ 334,705 corresponding to MAD 2,764,663, from al-
Omrane Development Holding.

10 Country Profile - Morocco

Country Profile Morocco

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Cover photos © UN-Habitat

Monceyf Fadili, Conseiller ONU-Habitat,
Casier ONU - Rabat-Chellah, Morocco

www.unhabitat.org/Morocco