Morocco - 50.07
103
A big fight over some useless desert
The biggest issue facing Morocco today is its continued occupation of the desolate stretch of largely unoccupied desert known to some as the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic and to others as Western Sahara. This spit of land on Africa’s Atlantic Coast is the size of Colorado and is home to fewer people than Denver. Aside from offshore fishing and some phosphate reserves, the territory has virtually no natural resources to speak of. Additionally, the territory is home to few of the Arabs and Berbers that constitute the vast majority of Morocco’s population, instead the territory is dominated by the Sahrawi people. Ostensibly, there is little reason for Morocco to be interested in the territory aside from its proximity and lack of organized government. However, when SADR mounted organized resistance in the form of the Polisario Front, Morocco ramped up its efforts to exert control over the territory. The Moroccan armed forces have been implicated in a number of human rights violations in the territory, including forced disappearances and allegedly a car bombing. Additionally, Morocco’s actions have drawn significant international ire. Morocco’s campaign in Western Saraha is nothing if not inexplicable. Additionally, Morocco faces significant domestic issues. The government has a number of restrictions on freedom of expression that make it difficult to criticize Islam, the King, or the government’s campaign in Western Sahara. The King exerts most control over the executive branch and exerts significant sway over the legislative. However, Morocco’s economy is one of the strongest in Africa. While corruption is present, Morocco handily outscored the regional average. The issues of Morocco are fundamentally different from the issues of Subsaharan Africa, as Morocco struggles with an authoritarian but well-run government.
Important Note: The Standard of Living Index does not recognize the independence of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. The Standard of Living Index does recognize human rights violations committed by the Moroccan armed forces against the Sahrawi people, but due to a lack of a functioning centralized government the independence of SADR is not recognized.
Human Rights - 48
Morocco retains the death penalty under moratorium; the last execution was carried out in 1993. Morocco has been accused of carrying out a car bombing in the tri-border area between Morocco, Mauritania, and Western Sahara. The bomb killed three Algerian nationals and was called an assassination by Algerian authorities. Morocco has 153 outstanding cases of forced disappearances in the period 1956-62. A few allegations of torture were reported in 2020 - all were investigated. Two were declared unfounded and a further investigation is underway for the third allegation. Detainees were often beaten during or upon their arrest. Morocco frequently holds prisoners in prolonged and indefinite solitary confinement and prisoners can sometimes serve their entire sentence in solitary confinement. Police sometimes arrested people without warrants or probable cause. Claims of arbitrary arrest were almost never investigated. Detained Sahrawi rights activists were often denied fair trials. Parliament passed a law in March 2020 banning the “obstruction of public orders through writing, publication, or videos.” It carries a three-month prison sentence and fines of up to $146. It was primarily used to silence critics of the government’s COVID response. Criminal law covers nonviolent dissent and protest. “Defaming Morocco’s sacred values,” “incitement to hatred,” and “defaming public officials” are all criminal offenses. Public criticism of the King is generally not tolerated. Protestors are often subject to arbitrary arrest. They are often detained without a warrant and released shortly thereafter without charge. Families of detainees were often not notified of their arrest for several days or weeks. The government often conducted arbitrary searches of people’s homes. Journalists face legal threats when covering the King, royal family, Islam, or SADR. Journalists often face threats of lawsuits and charges of defamation or blasphemy. Critical journalists often face trumped-up charges of tax evasion or sexual assault. Morocco was exposed in the Project Pegasus leak for spying on pro-Polisario or pro-SADR journalists as well as several Algerian and French nationals. Protests, especially against the royalty or of a nature relating to SADR are often suppressed. Christian marriages are not recognized. Homosexuality is illegal. Abortion is legal to preserve the physical health of the woman.
Democracy - 33
The King exerts significant sway over the executive branch. He appoints by the prime minister from within the ruling coalition and can dissolve parliament and call a snap election at any time. Additionally, while the prime minister is anything but a figurehead, the King remains the most politically powerful figure in the country. The lower house of parliament is directly elected while the upper house is chosen with an electoral college. Elections are generally free and fair, but some allegations of vote-buying persist. Morocco has a decent multi-party system. The Islamist Movement Justice and Charity is banned from politics and many pro-ethnic minority and Islamist movements have faced political discrimination. Despite this, rotations of power between rival political parties are regular. LGBT are disenfranchised.
Freedom - 35
Parliament passed a law in March 2020 banning the “obstruction of public orders through writing, publication, or videos.” It carries a three-month prison sentence and fines of up to $146. It was primarily used to silence critics of the government’s COVID response. Criminal law covers nonviolent dissent and protest. “Defaming Morocco’s sacred values,” “incitement to hatred,” and “defaming public officials” are all criminal offenses. Public criticism of the King is generally not tolerated. Protestors are often subject to arbitrary arrest. They are often detained without a warrant and released shortly thereafter without charge. Families of detainees were often not notified of their arrest for several days or weeks. Journalists face legal threats when covering the King, royal family, Islam, or SADR. Journalists often face threats of lawsuits and charges of defamation or blasphemy. Critical journalists often face trumped-up charges of tax evasion or sexual assault. Morocco was exposed in the Project Pegasus leak for spying on pro-Polisario or pro-SADR journalists as well as several Algerian and French nationals. Protests, especially those demonstrating against the royalty or Morocco’s campaign in Western Sahara are often violently suppressed. The government has broad provisions to censor material online but these provisions were generally not used. Islam is the state religion. Christians and especially Jews face some persecution but are generally free to worship, but Christian marriages are not recognized as legally binding. Morocco has strictly enforced drug laws, but Marijuana is legal for medicinal, cosmetic, and industrial purposes. Guns are very difficult to obtain in Morocco. Shotguns are legal for members of gun ownership organizations while rifles and handguns are technically legal but in practice are very difficult to obtain.
Economy - 72
Health - 74
Morocco has a life expectancy of 77 years and an infant mortality rate of 1.23%. 26.1% of Moroccans are unemployed and 4.2% are malnourished. Morocco’s semi-universal healthcare system covers between seventy and ninety percent of treatment and medication costs and provides high-quality care throughout the country. 87.1% of Moroccans have access to clean, running water.
Corruption - 38
Judicial verdicts are bought and sold. Two of three households surveyed by GAN Integrity reported paying a bribe to the courts. Police extortion is rampant. Public services often must be bribed into action. Licenses and permits are nearly impossible to obtain without corruption. Moroccan tax administration is generally less corrupt than in neighboring countries. Customs officials frequently extort bribes during the import/export process, though this generally happens when importing goods by road or rail from Algeria or Mauritania. Public contracts are nearly impossible to obtain without bribery and oil companies are very close with the government.
Competency - 64
Morocco exerts a claim over the entire territory of Western Sahara, despite only controlling coastal portions. While Morocco controls almost the entire coastline and both of the territory’s major cities, the Polisario Front still controls significant parts of the territory. The Moroccan government is failing to protect Sahrawis, both in Western Sahara and in Morocco proper. The government has failed to reconcile relations with its neighbors as relations with Mauritania, Algeria, and Spain remain very tense.
Future - 77
Morocco has invested heavily in the areas of Western Sahara under its control. Laayoune and Dakhla have developed into proper cities. Additionally, Morocco has invested heavily in fishing, mining, and oil drilling to extract what little value the generally barren territory has. The Moroccan economy took a major hit in 2020 and will likely take several years to recover.
Actions Abroad - 36
Morocco is a member of the African Union and the Arab League. Relations with member states of both have been tense, however, due to the developing situation in Western Sahara. Morocco maintains close relations with Egypt. Morocco’s relations with Algeria have been strained over SADR, and diplomatic relations were severed altogether in 2021. Morocco traded recognition of Israel for America’s recognition of their claims to SADR. Morocco’s campaigns in Western Sahara have made it a generally belligerent force on the world stage.
1% of Moroccans live below the international poverty line and 4.8% live below the national poverty line. 9% of Moroccans are unemployed. Morocco has a high economic disparity. The minimum wage in Morocco is $7.8 per day. Morocco has a strong semi-universal healthcare system. Treatments and medications are heavily subsidized, with the government paying between seventy and ninety percent. Healthcare is of generally high quality throughout the country. The Moroccan economy shrunk 7.1% in 2020 and grew 2.5% in 2019.