Employment: Industry is the big loser!

20 May 2014 Read by 4755 persons

 

 

According to the HCP (High Commission for Planning), between the first quarter of 2013 and the first quarter of 2014, the number of unemployed people in Morocco increased by 114,000: 74,000 in urban areas and 40,000 in rural areas. The total number now reaches 1,191,000 people. The unemployment rate thus increased from 9.4% to 10.2%. According to the HCP, this rate increased to 20.2% instead of 19.5% for the category of young people aged 15 to 24, and from 17.5% instead of 16.5% for diploma holders, always between the period from the first quarter of 2013 to the first quarter of 2014. The analysis of the main characteristics of the active population also reveals that more than three-quarters of the unemployed (76.9%) are urban dwellers, that six out of ten (60.1%) are aged 15 to 29, and that almost six out of ten (59.4%) have been unemployed for more than a year.

Deindustrialization is confirmed

It is the industrial sector, including crafts and the construction sector, where the most job losses occurred. This sector alone lost no less than 45,000 jobs. Thus, the main industrial sectors that recorded job losses are textiles (-28,000 jobs), woodworking and the manufacture of wood products (-27,000 jobs), and the clothing and fur industry (-19,000 jobs). Regarding construction, the sector lost 12,000 jobs (-1.2%), thus confirming its downward trend begun two years ago (-42,000 jobs in 2012 and -56,000 in 2013). In contrast, the agriculture, forestry and fishing sector performed rather well, creating 53,000 new jobs, which corresponds to a 1.4% increase in the sector's employment volume, compared to an average annual loss of 106,000 jobs during the 2011-2013 period.

Services save the day

During the same period, the Moroccan economy created 89,000 jobs, 46,000 in urban areas and 43,000 in rural areas. 85,000 were for women, indicates the HCP. The Services sector, with 93,000 jobs created, corresponds to 2.3% of the sector's employment volume, compared to an average annual creation of 115,000 jobs during the 2011-2013 period. Within this sector, the main branches that contributed most to job creation are retail and repair of household goods (73,000 jobs) and services mainly provided to businesses (28,000 jobs).


Lobservateurdumaroc.info


Published May 19, 2014.

Posted online May 20, 2014.