WB official says Morocco has eradicated extreme poverty

Rabat  –  Morocco managed to practically eradicate extreme poverty and reduce relative poverty, said World Bank country director for the Maghreb, Simon Gray.

“Extreme poverty has been practically eradicated in Morocco, declining from 2 % in 2001 to 0.28 % in 2011, while relative poverty has decreased from 15.3 % to 6.2 %”, WB official told MAP on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of poverty (17 October).

“During the same period, the well-being of 40 % of the low-income population has increased both in absolute terms (improved well-being of the poor) and relative terms (improved well-being of the poor compared to the non-poor ), which reflects an improvement in shared prosperity”, Gray noted.

Morocco is one of only four countries in the MENA region (+Jordan, Tunisia and Palestine) which have a poverty rate lower than 5 % valued at $ 2 per day, he went on to say.

WB official stressed that the strategic partnership strategy adopted by the WB to support Morocco in its development policies defines the key elements necessary to boost growth, create jobs and improve the well-being and shared prosperity of the population.