Speaking to African Business in Rabat, Amal El Fallah Seghrouchini, Morocco's minister for digital transition and administrative reform, reflects on a "big deadline" the country is facing in its ambitious plans for economic growth and development - the 2030 FIFA World Cup. "There are a huge number of projects and infrastructure developments we are undertaking in preparation for 2030," she says. "There is another deadline in 2030 related to the Sustainable Development Goals, coming at the same time as the World Cup - both focused on growth and development."
There is indeed the sense in Morocco that economic momentum is building - with 2030 the year, they hope, that the country fully announces itself as a major power in the African and Arab world. A Moroccan government official in London, who wishes to remain anonymous, tells African Business that "Morocco is on the path of development, and we want to become a prominent emerging markets economy."
"We want to progress into becoming a top 20-25 country globally in terms of GDP, partly driven by development infrastructure. That's the vision of His Majesty King Muhammad VI and that's what Moroccans are constantly talking about in forums and on social media," he adds.
"How can Morocco leapfrog its development and progress both economically and politically? On a national level, the World Cup is seen as the catalyst for that."
Data supports optimismThe underlying economic metrics suggest this optimism is justified as the 2030 deadline draws ever nearer, even if the decade started with a series of severe economic shocks. The Covid-19 pandemic was followed by a prolonged drought that culminated in 2023 being the country's driest year in more than eight decades, significantly reducing domestic crop yields.