Morocco's Conseil Économique, Social et Environnemental (CESE) recently released its annual report for 2025, highlighting several advancements in the country's economic and social sectors. The report emphasizes the acceleration of growth and the deployment of social protection measures. However, the CESE also identified critical areas that require increased vigilance to ensure the country's socio-economic resilience. These areas were determined after analyzing the economic, social, and environmental situation in 2025.
The CESE's report focuses on five key areas that require attention from the authorities. The first area of concern is the vulnerability of strategic stocks of essential products, particularly hydrocarbons and cereals. In the context of international geopolitical tensions and supply chain disruptions, securing access to essential products has become a major strategic challenge for Morocco. The country's stockpiling systems for hydrocarbons and cereals have several weaknesses and dysfunctions that limit their effectiveness in responding to potential supply disruptions.
The CESE report highlights several shortcomings in the regulatory framework for hydrocarbon stockpiling. The 2008 decree, which requires a 60-day stockpile of hydrocarbons for local market sales, does not guarantee a clear management system to distinguish between mandatory security stocks and commercial stocks held by private companies. This lack of clarity may compromise the country's ability to respond to supply shocks. The CESE emphasizes the need for a more effective regulatory framework to ensure the security of hydrocarbon supplies.
Cereals, particularly soft wheat, are another area of concern due to their importance in the country's food consumption habits. Morocco's annual per capita consumption of soft wheat is around 180 kg, nearly three times the global average. This high dependence on imports makes the country vulnerable to external shocks. The CESE notes that the country's reliance on cereal imports has averaged around 74% in recent years, emphasizing the need for a more robust stockpiling system.
The CESE report also examines the current stockpiling levels for soft wheat, which average around 3-4 months of consumption. While these levels are relatively stable, they require closer monitoring and increased vigilance in the face of international market uncertainty and high national consumption. The regulatory framework for cereal stockpiling is still incomplete and relies heavily on declaratory mechanisms. The 1994 law establishing the Office National Interprofessionnel des Céréales et des Légumineuses (ONICL) provides for the creation of a security stock in cereals, but its implementation remains limited.
The CESE's report emphasizes the need for a more proactive approach to managing strategic stocks of essential products. This includes strengthening regulatory frameworks, improving stockpiling systems, and enhancing monitoring and vigilance mechanisms. By addressing these vulnerabilities, Morocco can improve its socio-economic resilience and better respond to external shocks. The report's recommendations are expected to inform policy decisions and guide the development of strategies to address these critical areas.
The CESE's report provides a comprehensive analysis of Morocco's economic, social, and environmental situation in 2025. By highlighting critical areas for vigilance, the report aims to support informed decision-making and policy development. The council's work underscores the importance of proactive and strategic planning to ensure the country's socio-economic resilience and stability.
Key points
- The CESE identifies vulnerabilities in Morocco's strategic stocks of essential products, including hydrocarbons and cereals.
- The country's reliance on cereal imports is high, averaging around 74% in recent years.
- The CESE recommends strengthening regulatory frameworks and improving stockpiling systems to enhance socio-economic resilience.
