Migrant Transfers as a Development Tool - The Case of Morocco

This paper examines the impact of remittances on Moroccan development, as well as of other migration-driven social changes. The paper highlights that:

• The Kingdom's budgetary plan (1968-72) proposed emigration as a means of solving the under- and unemployment problem;
• Morocco is the fourth largest remittance recipient among the developing countries.

The paper discusses remittance trends in morocco which highlight:

• Remittances have played an important part in supporting local economies and infrastructure development in certain areas;
• In recent years, Moroccan investments have included the exploitation of agricultural land using modern technologies and methods.

The paper also discusses the development impact of remittances:

• Women have begun to assume greater responsibilities owing to the absence of male family members;
• For young men, migration has become the door to independence and maturity that otherwise would be blocked by local poverty;
• Rural migrants end up in urban areas of Morocco via international migration, thus increasing the population of the larger cities.

The paper concludes by discussing policy options which suggest:

• Involving local civil society in source and destination countries in the planning, implementation and sustaining local development projects;
• Strengthening and enabling local governments to create, develop and undertake local development projects;
• Encouraging creation of co-development schemes that enable partnerships between European, Moroccan and migrant entrepreneurs;
• Facilitating consultations between Moroccan civil society and diaspora groups for dialogue on development.