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Rabat – New data from Belgium’s Federal Migration Center shows Moroccans maintaining their position as the largest foreign community to become Belgian citizens in 2021.
Last year, 3,611 Moroccans gained Belgian citizenship, representing 9% of the total number of foreign nationals who became Belgians that year.
The total number of foreign nationals who received the Belgian nationality amounted to 39,448, according to the center’s report.
The Moroccan community in Belgium is estimated at over 80,000, representing the largest non-European community in the European country.
The center’s annual report additionally shed light on the growing number of Syrians who obtained Belgian nationality.
“While Morocco has always been by far the most important country of origin over the past two decades, it is closely followed by Syria in 2021,” the report indicated.
According to recent data, the number of Syrians with Belgian citizenship rose sharply from 243 in 2017 to 3,287 in 2021.
In addition to Syrians, the number of Iraqis who obtained Belgian citizenship also increased in recent years.
The number of Moroccans residing abroad is estimated at over 5 million. The Moroccan government has frequently emphasized the importance of its diaspora members and their contribution to the country’s economy.
Remittances from Moroccans residing abroad reached $4.6 billion during the first half of 2022, representing an increase of 6.1% compared to the same period in 2021.
In 2021, money transfers from the Moroccan diaspora reached MAD 100 billion, or $10.8 billion.
Last year, the flow of remittances from Moroccans residing abroad represented 7.4% of Moroccan GDP, according to the World Bank.
