RABAT, June 7, 2011 (AFP) –
Morocco needs to reform its legal and institutional framework if it is to boost foreign investment, the OECD said on Tuesday.
The north African nation must get rid of “judicial and administrative obstacles” in order to encourage investment and reinforce transparency, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development said in a report.
It urged Rabat to boost its fight against corruption and improve the education system to enhance its business climate.
“The slowness and the legal system’s lack of transparency are the factors affecting the development of businesses,” said the report, seen by AFP ahead of its presentation in the capital on Wednesday.
It features the results of an evaluation carried out from 2009 to 2010 by the OECD and the Ministry of Economic and General Affairs.
The OECD said on its website that its conclusions are “all the more pertinent” given the ambitious programme of constitutional reform under way in Morocco.
Among its recommendations are the simplification of the fiscal system and its loosening in favour of small businesses to encourage them to leave the informal sector.
When it comes to Morocco’s anti-corruption strategy, “the role of civil society, non-governmental institutions and the media has not yet been fully acknowledged,” the report said.
