Rabat: The Policy Center for the New South (PCNS) launched on Thursday the Oxford Handbook of the Moroccan Economy, a reference handbook to help grasp economic transformation in Morocco.
According to Agence Marocaine De Presse, the handbook is edited by PCNS Executive President Karim El Aynaoui and British Academy at SOAS University of London Professor Arkebe Oqubay. Published by Oxford University Press, it brings together 53 contributors and offers, through 34 chapters, a historical and long-term analysis of the evolution of the Moroccan economy from 1960 to 2025.
Designed as a reference handbook, the Oxford Handbook of the Moroccan Economy provides a structured analytical basis on the stylized facts, long-term trends, sectoral transformations, and major public policy issues shaping Morocco’s economic trajectory. It aims to renew the stock of knowledge available on the Moroccan economy and to offer a structured, rigorous, and accessible synthesis for researchers, students, public decision-makers, and practitioners.
During the handbook’s launching conference, El Aynaoui stated that this book is the result of two and a half years of work. “We wanted to offer a perspective that is both analytical and historical, covering the period from the 1960s to the present day, in order to put more than half a century of economic development into perspective,” he said. He added that the book is not intended to be an isolated academic publication, but a true reference document, aimed at economists, policymakers, educators, and all stakeholders interested in development issues in Morocco. “We have also ensured it is available as open access, to promote wider dissemination and fuel public debate,” he specified.
According to El Aynaoui, the Oxford Handbook of the Moroccan Economy contributes through highlighting certain economic patterns, notably the propensity to import, household saving behavior, the fiscal multiplier effect, and elasticity parameters that determine the transmission of economic policies. For his part, Oqubay stated that this work stands out as a major reference on the African continent, arguing that a meaningful analysis of the Moroccan economy requires a resolutely multidisciplinary approach that draws on history, sociology, and engineering.
The handbook’s chapters address the major issues structuring today’s economic debate on Morocco, namely structural transformation, productivity, industrialization, industrial policies, research and innovation, private sector development, integration into global value chains, the labor market, informality, poverty, inequality, education, health, energy transition, and regional development.
The publication of this handbook is part of PCNS’ mission, a public good that aims to contribute to strategic debate and shaping public policy in Morocco and on the African continent.