Migration, Remittances and Regional Development in Southern Morocco

This study examines the relationship between migration and development in Morocco.

Morocco has evolved into one of the world's leading emigration countries. Over 2 million Moroccans currently live in European countries like France, The Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Italy and Spain out of a population of 30 million. Morocco is the developing worlds fourth largest remittance receiver, receiving over $3.3 billion in official remittances in 2001.

The study uses qualitative research and a survey among non-migrant, internal and international migrant households in the Moroccan Todgha oasis. It demonstrates that risk spreading and income stabilization rather than increasing incomes seem to be the prime rationale behind internal migration. Results indicate that international migration and remittances have:

• Contributed to economic development and improved living standards;
• Enabled the partial emancipation of subaltern ethnic groups;
• Led to investments in housing, agriculture and other enterprises;
• Facilitated the education and international migration of younger household members;
• Stimulated the diversifying and urbanizing of regional economy and have triggered a counter flow of reverse internal migration.

Finally, several structural constraints prevent the development potential of migration from being fully realized.