Casablanca – Morocco and the World Bank Group have launched a new Country Partnership Framework (CPF) for 2026–2035, setting out a long-term roadmap aimed at supporting the country’s economic transformation over the next decade. The framework places job creation at the center of cooperation while seeking to accelerate private-sector-led growth, strengthen human capital, reduce regional disparities, and improve climate resilience.

The agreement represents a shift in the nature of cooperation between Morocco and the World Bank Group, moving beyond traditional project financing toward a broader strategy focused on structural economic reforms. The partnership aligns with Morocco’s New Development Model, which seeks to transition the economy from one driven largely by public investment to one where private investment, innovation, and productivity play a greater role in sustaining growth.

According to the World Bank Group, the partnership builds on more than 65 years of cooperation with Morocco. During that period, the institution has supported investments in infrastructure, agriculture, water resources, education, healthcare, social protection, and institutional reforms. The new framework is intended to accompany the country’s next phase of development through a coordinated package of financing, technical expertise, policy support, and private capital mobilization.

The new framework covers the period from 2026 to 2035, making it the longest partnership agreement signed between Morocco and the World Bank Group. Unlike previous cooperation frameworks, which generally covered five or six years, the extended timeline is designed to support reforms that require sustained implementation and long-term policy continuity.

The partnership establishes job creation as its primary objective. World Bank assessments indicate that while Morocco has made substantial progress in infrastructure development, macroeconomic stability, and social reforms over the past two decades, employment remains one of the country’s main economic challenges. Youth unemployment stood at approximately 37% in 2024, while female labor force participation remained close to 19%, among the lowest rates internationally. The framework therefore aims to expand both the number and quality of employment opportunities, particularly for young people and women.

To achieve these objectives, the partnership is structured around three strategic pillars.

The first pillar focuses on strengthening the competitiveness and productivity of businesses. Planned measures include improving the business climate, simplifying regulatory procedures, reinforcing market competition, expanding access to financing for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), encouraging innovation, and accelerating digital transformation. The strategy also seeks to increase private investment across sectors considered capable of generating higher economic value and employment, including renewable energy, infrastructure, agribusiness, manufacturing, tourism, healthcare, and digital services.

The second pillar addresses territorial development by promoting more connected, inclusive, and climate-resilient regions. The framework seeks to reduce geographic disparities through improved transport links, stronger connectivity between urban and rural areas, expanded access to markets and public services, and greater investment in local infrastructure. Water resource management, climate adaptation, sustainable agriculture, and support for the social and solidarity economy are also identified as priorities within this component of the partnership.

The third pillar centers on strengthening Morocco’s human capital. The World Bank Group will continue supporting reforms in education, vocational training, healthcare, and social protection while promoting the development of digital and green skills that respond to evolving labor market needs. The framework also includes support for expanding universal health coverage and strengthening social safety nets, alongside initiatives aimed at developing the care economy as an additional source of employment.

The partnership places significant emphasis on expanding the role of the private sector in Morocco’s economic development. The World Bank Group considers greater private investment essential for sustaining long-term growth and creating sufficient employment opportunities. As a result, the framework combines the resources of its different institutions to encourage both public and private investment.

The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) will continue providing sovereign financing to support government reforms and public investment. At the same time, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) will work to mobilize additional private capital by supporting businesses, financial markets, and investment projects. The Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) will contribute by offering guarantees designed to reduce investment risks and encourage foreign and domestic private investment.

One of the partnership’s financial objectives is to mobilize approximately $8 billion in private investment by 2035, particularly in sectors such as infrastructure, renewable energy, agriculture, the blue economy, and small and medium-sized enterprises. More broadly, the overall financing package associated with the partnership is expected to reach up to $15 billion over the next decade through a combination of public lending, private investment mobilization, guarantees, and technical assistance.

The framework also introduces a stronger emphasis on measuring development outcomes. Rather than focusing primarily on the completion of individual projects, progress will be assessed using indicators linked to economic and social results. These include the number of jobs created, the volume of private investment mobilized, improvements in access to quality education and healthcare, expansion of social protection, and increased resilience of vulnerable communities to climate-related risks.

As of March 2026, the World Bank Group’s active portfolio in Morocco included 26 national projects representing approximately $7.78 billion in commitments. These operations span multiple sectors, including education, water management, healthcare, infrastructure, agriculture, blue economy development, urban mobility, public enterprise reform, and social protection. The new partnership framework is expected to build upon these existing programs while aligning future operations with the country’s broader economic transformation agenda.

The World Bank Group has described Morocco as one of its longest-standing partners in the region and noted that the country’s development strategy increasingly emphasizes productivity, innovation, and private-sector participation. Through the new 10-year framework, the institution intends to support reforms that strengthen competitiveness, improve workforce skills, attract greater private investment, and create conditions for more inclusive and sustainable economic growth.

The agreement reflects a long-term commitment by both Morocco and the World Bank Group to pursue structural reforms that aim to diversify the economy, improve employment outcomes, reduce territorial inequalities, and enhance resilience to climate and economic shocks. By combining financing, policy support, technical expertise, and private capital over the coming decade, the partnership seeks to help Morocco advance toward a higher level of economic development while expanding opportunities for businesses and workers across the country.