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From Promises to Partnerships to Projects to Results

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US-Africa Leaders Summit Opens Business Forum to Promote Opportunities and Collaboration

Spending time with members of the Moroccan delegation to the US-Africa Leaders Summit, which included a high-level business forum on Tuesday, one gets the feeling that, regardless of what the US is able to do to re-establish its leadership in Africa, Morocco is committed to moving ahead with its ambitious industrialization, energy, agri-business, tourism, and other development priorities.

Among the government and business leaders, there is unanimity on four points: Morocco needs to work very hard to promote jobs throughout the economy and the country; valued jobs are largely created through public-private partnerships that match skilled employees with employers who actively participate in training the workforce; international investors are a key component in the eco-system of stakeholders who are critical for economic growth; and much of this growth will result from Morocco’s ambitious efforts to become the premier gateway for business in west, central, and Atlantic Coast Africa.

Moroccan minister El Alamy

Moroccan Minister of Trade, Investment, Industry, and Digital Technology, Moulay Hafid ElAlamy, leads efforts to attract FDI

The government’s business side is well represented at the business forum, beginning with Minister Elalamy was quite active in the private sector before becoming Minister nine months ago, with interests in Africa and throughout Morocco. Minister Bouhdoub was also recruited from the private sector, and his portfolio, focusing on small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) and the informal economy, highlights two of the critical areas facing policy makers. They are joined by Amina Benkhadra, former Minister of Energy and now Director General of the National Office of Hydrocarbons and Mines (ONHYM), probably the country’s leading proponent of mining and hydrocarbon and renewable energy policies.

The business delegation is quite impressive, featuring long-established leaders who bring both experience and vision to their roles. Mostafa Terrab is the CEO of OCP Group, Morocco’s phosphates producer, which manages an array of training programs in communities in which it works and also for the larger workforce. Its global policy footprint focuses on issues of energy, food, and water security and feeding the rapidly growing countries of Africa. Miriem Behsalah Chaqroun, a businesswoman and President of the Moroccan Confederation of Businesses (CGEM), makes its clear in her interviews and meetings that enabling small and medium-size companies to actively participate in Morocco’s growth is vital to promote significant job opportunities.

Karim Hajji, CEO of the Casablanca Stock Exchange (CSE), noted that CSE is soon launching an initiative focusing on outreach programs to grow small and medium-size companies through training in the core elements of running a business, including planning, financing, management, labor relations, dealing with government regulations, legal issues, and entrepreneurism. His colleague Mohammed El Kettani, chairman/CEO of Attijariwafa Bank, points to the Bank’s network of operations in 14 African countries as well as four in Europe and four in the Middle East as an indicator of how Moroccan banks can serve the needs of international investors wanting to work in Africa and want a stable and developed infrastructure to support their offices.

Othman Benjelloun, CEO of BMCE Bank, heads one of the largest banks in Africa, with a money management firm and investment fund specifically targeting Africa. As a senior leader in the group, he speaks from several generations of experience with markets from the US and Europe to Africa and Asia.

President’s Aspirations for US-Africa Collaboration

President Obama started by saying “I’ve made it clear that the United States is determined to be a partner in Africa’s success – a good partner, an equal partner, and a partner for the long term…we want to build genuine partnerships that create jobs and opportunities for all our peoples and that unleash the next era of Africa growth.” Conscious of the need for concrete actions to enable this collaboration, the President pointed to new projects by Blackstone (energy investments), Coca-Cola (potable water treatment and distribution), GE (infrastructure projects), and Marriott (hotels) totaling more than $14 billion.

Moroccan Ministers speak at the US Chamber

Moroccan Ministers speak at the US Chamber

Despite a very contentious year with Congress, Obama pledged to keep pushing to renew the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which gives preferential treatment to trade with most African countries in sectors that enhance local job opportunities. Additional steps included pushing for EX-IM Bank reauthorization, $7 billion in US trade financing support, a new advisory business council to support efforts in Africa, and more money for Power Africa, the project to double the access to electricity in sub-Saharan Africa.

What does this have to do with Morocco? Although there seems to be some deafness at the State Department regarding Morocco’s potential contributions to Power Africa, Amina Benkhadra quickly points out at least four. Morocco has vast experience in rural electrification – which now covers more than 95 percent of the country, over difficult terrain. It can supply the training and expertise to energy companies in other countries. Morocco relies on public-private partnerships (PPPs) for more than 60 percent of its energy and is well-schooled in the negotiations and management of PPPs, the key factor in energy projects across the continent. Morocco has the engineers and technicians who can train African workers to assume responsibility for their power systems, from installation, to testing, to operations and maintenance. Finally, Morocco is the most experienced African country in solar, wind, and hydropower generation, and its projects and expertise would benefit the overall strategy of Power Africa.

Backing this up is the fact that Morocco already has at least four power projects in Africa and, thanks to the more than 100 agreements signed by Morocco over the last six months, is poised to take on even more partnerships in Africa for power generation. So Morocco is already modeling the types of initiatives the US is coming to appreciate and support. And the Moroccan delegation has as one of its priorities that the US recognize the great potential of triangular projects wedding US finance, Moroccan expertise, and local African market requirements.

Moroccan Business Delegation at Launch of Paper on Morocco at Africa Center, Atlantic Council

Moroccan Business Delegation at Launch of Paper on Morocco at Africa Center, Atlantic Council

An excellent example is the Memorandum of Understanding signed during the summit by the US Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), Morocco’s Attijariwafa Bank, and Wells Fargo, which gives Attijariwafa a new credit line to expand lending to its SME customers, both in Morocco and African countries where the bank is present, and also facilitates American entrepreneurs’ access to the continent. The goal of intensifying its ties with American partners, says Attijariwafa, is “making Morocco a hub of trade and investments flows to Africa.”

Where Will This Go?

Looking ahead, President Obama also emphasized his priority on empowering young African leaders, some of whom are part of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI). He announced that the 2014 Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) will be held in Morocco and in Sub-Saharan Africa in 2015. President Obama noted four elements “essential to Africa’s growth” that would be discussed at the US-Africa Leaders Summit the next day: the need for rule of law, regulatory reform, and good governance to safeguard human and investment capital and promote transparency; agricultural development given the large portion of Africa dependent on farming; rebuilding a strong health infrastructure; and promoting security and peace, “because the future belongs to those who build, not to those who destroy.”

From promises to partnerships to projects to results…is a generational challenge. Business thrives over the long term in a stable and predictable environment. Africa at this point is as much a challenge as an opportunity. Transnational and regional collaboration for economic growth will help stabilize areas experiencing difficulties despite their potential. Morocco has much to offer; it is a proven partner for the US; and it is, perhaps, a very smart option for rebuilding the US presence and influence in Africa.

Global business in emerging markets: Transformational partnerships

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At a recent corporate presentation in the Maghreb on the potential transformational effect of foreign direct investment (FDI), I focused on two points: the notion of impact investing and the corollary dynamic of how FDI impacts human development beyond the benefits of economic growth.

The discussants were company leaders and employees discussing how to build a globally competitive company culture integrating local sensibilities and priorities with technologies and industrial know-how developed abroad.  The initial discussions, following the usual pattern of strategic planning sessions, concentrated on building a common vision and purpose among the participants. The vision that coalesced was then defined in a series of core values and principles that would become the “brand” of the emerging company culture.

As I listened to insightful and well-presented points of view, it became apparent that as the new company drills down from values and principles to behaviors, it is critical that both sides examine the scope of their assumptions and expectations. While there was a strong consensus around the vision and principles, agreement was not so clear on the behaviors that would then follow. It reminded me of the iceberg metaphor in cross-cultural communications, where the core values, principles, attitudes, and beliefs are unseen below the waterline, while the behaviors, which are visible above the surface, are subject to interpretation by the other party who cannot see below the waterline. The lesson: we make judgments about others based on what we see, rather than what we know lies beneath the surface.

Given this observation, I asked the group to consider a broader perspective, moving above their particular iceberg to consider the implications of the new partnership beyond the terms of the company’s goals and objectives. I began with what I know best—defining the mission of the new company and how training impacts its brand.

The Arab uprisings pointed out the need for rapid economic growth to stimulate broad and meaningful employment and drive education relevant to the marketplace. This is not a simple task; it is not merely about providing skills training to enhance work opportunities; it is about the core aspirations of people and what this means to their country. Employees and employers are not the only beneficiaries of FDI; all of the country benefits from a more capable and effective workforce.  The workforce that is emerging will have better technical capabilities, operational sensibilities, and soft skills that enable them to define options and make choices about their futures.

In the MENA countries that I have surveyed in terms of technical and vocational training needs, soft skills are defined as more than communications and teamwork; they include the capabilities to pursue a career and anticipate and grasp needed learning opportunities. This involves creativity, innovation, and judgment. Thus, these enhanced soft skills are more complex and encourage what is called “global dexterity,” blending awareness and knowledge that lead to effective behaviors in the workplace while securing one’s core values.

The Arab uprisings remind us that there is a related issue that needs attention: that what we are dealing with is more than better training, education, and employment; Arabs are redefining the social contract that existed between regimes and their people. At the heart of it all are the issues of identity and the basis of legitimacy of the governments: political, religious, ethnic, cultural, etc.

Historically, the social contract was an exchange between a government that provided order, stability, and a bit of prosperity to citizens who felt protected and secure enough to have sustainable livelihoods.  That balance has, in many countries, been shaken to a large degree by demographics, the global economy, technology, more gender equality, a reduction in social distance, and education, which are providing the ingredients and tools for reshaping and recalibrating social contracts. So it is this redefining of the social contract that is at the heart of the struggle for political legitimacy and national identity.

In this context, skills training and professional development enable employees to access careers and benefits that equip them to be part of a generational and transformational shift. These empowered employees become capable participants with tools to achieve aspirations for themselves, their families, and their children. This confluence of skills and knowledge has the capacity to impact the debate on the social contract, which has implications for the MENA region. This may sound a bit grandiose, but it is a historical lesson that economic development and human development go hand in hand. What was once considered a business relationship has the potential, in today’s highly connected and able public space, to be a link between global markets and local human development.

By raising the performance of employees to better engage the global economy, we build a platform for moving beyond issues of economic growth as both employees and employers seek growth opportunities that require more effective governance and use of human capital. People become internal change agents that provide the role models, mentors, and early adaptors missing from the broad business landscape in the MENA countries. These local transformation agents link with others throughout the region and larger markets to promote global dexterity – adaptive behaviors built around core values.

And what is the external partner’s role in this? The concept is “impact investing,” which focuses on projects that have social and environmental benefits and generate profits. At its core, impact investing reflects business models that are sustainable, advance human capital, provide opportunities for community development, and have results that are attractive to long term relationships with the private sector. The key consideration is to move beyond social and community outreach that is beneficial in the short-term but does not significantly alter the future prospects of the communities touched. By promoting an investment perspective that recognizes that broader and deeper FDI requires long-term returns, countries and companies make mutual cause for mutual benefit. Governments have their role to play but no more than is usually needed to attract serious FDI, ranging from needed infrastructure to incentives for training, use of local materials, and similar inputs.

There are several revolutions going on in the MENA and elsewhere, some messy and unwieldy while others are barely perceptible. The role of workforce development in crafting solutions should not be overlooked or minimized as simply giving people jobs. Companies exist for a purpose, to be profitable and grow. Employees share these goals, to profit from their employment by acquiring skills that free them to know and exploit opportunities for themselves and their families. Partnerships between local and international private sectors that are emerging will, in many respects, help governments in their mission to build a new social contract with their citizens by greatly reducing demands for counterproductive government intervention in the economy. Good business making better jobs and great citizens and governments is a goal worth pursuing.

Worker incentives: Are MENA employee stereotypes shifting?

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 In reviewing comprehensive strategies for closing the gap between education and employment—an unresolved agenda of the Arab uprisings—one area where there is no ready agreement is non-monetary compensation. Everyone acknowledges that money is the chief incentive for attracting employees, but there is a dilemma when taking a longer view of the “employee value chain,” that is, from graduation to employment to career, what matters for recruiting and retaining good workers? In looking for possible answers, there are clear differences between countries that have plenty of people and plenty of funding, such as Saudi Arabia, and countries that have plenty of people and limited funding, such as Morocco. In both countries, young people assert that they want to and are ready to work. Yet in both countries there are wide gaps in expectations between those with secondary and university educations, which preclude a “one size fits all” approach.

The case of Saudi Arabia

In Saudi Arabia, where hundreds of thousands of new jobs are needed annually over the next 5-10 years to fill employment needs of locals under 25, the clear preference is for white collar jobs, even though industrial workers are in high demand throughout the country. While there has been extensive research on the categories of jobs available to Saudis, the most difficult step—motivating young people to fill the potentially available slots, has yet to be taken.

The kingdom has a three-pronged approach: 1) pushing the private sector to hire more Saudis and provide incentives for companies to have in-house training programs; 2) upgrade government coordinated training programs to enable young Saudi men and women to acquire skills linked to the rising demand centers for employment; and 3) educate and motivate Saudis to take seriously employment as a career.

The majority of the general population as well as university graduates are female, who, while seeing a gradually growing number of workplace opportunities, are also facing a dwindling pool of eligible husbands. This fact impacts the career aspirations of both men and women and cannot be overlooked as a normative peg is promoting employment.  

 

The case of Morocco

Morocco has different challenges since its young people are attracted by both blue and white collar jobs but the labor supply exceeds demand, especially if potential employees are reluctant to relocate. University graduates who prefer government-related jobs are disappointed in that few are being chosen under the accelerated hiring program of the current government. Since it has limited funding, the government is incentivizing the private sector through subsidies and grants to train in specific sectors. This is especially important since government training facilities are limited in number and unable to carry the full burden of training across a range of jobs. While there is an increasing emphasis on entrepreneurship and start-ups, the overall environment for promoting new businesses is still difficult to navigate. There is a large pool of entrants into blue collar work if they can access effective training programs.

Non-monetary incentives

Given the challenges in both countries, another motivational tool is identifying non-monetary incentives that could be part of an effective recruit and retain policy. Offering some ideas are two articles. McKinsey & Company just republished a seminal article on the topic “Motivating people: Getting beyond money.” And IESE Insight published “Remuneration Tips for a More Motivated Workforce,” which covers a study conducted by this Spanish economic institute. Both are based on surveys done with a variety of companies, ranging from mid-size to large corporations.

The McKinsey article found that:

“…praise from immediate managers, leadership attention…, and a chance to lead projects or task forces—[are] no less or even more effective motivators than the three highest-rated financial incentives: cash bonuses, increased base pay, and stock or stock options. The survey’s top three nonfinancial motivators play critical roles in making employees feel that their companies value them, take their well-being seriously, and strive to create opportunities for career growth.” 

The IESE Insight article found that:

“variable remuneration schemes, although increasingly widespread, do not always achieve their main objective: to motivate people.” In these schemes linking benefits to company profits (however measured), the author found that the relationship between variable remuneration and motivation is too complex as “numerous factors that cannot always be controlled influence the equation.”

In the MENA countries, using Saudi Arabia and Morocco as examples, both the financial and non-financial motivators cited in the two articles are not common practice. Yet the McKinsey article noted that “…in developing markets…[respondents] cited employee motivation as a key reason for modifying incentives.”

The Way Forward

So where to begin? Promoting one’s initial job as an entry into a career will be a major culture change in how Moroccans and Saudis perceive employment. Too often, either the job in industrial settings has defined limitations, or traditional job security has meant that there was little turnover to allow movement upwards for young, talented employees. Senior management must become committed to integrating their traditional role as benefactor/bureaucrat with a balanced style that demonstrates appreciation for talent, initiative, and loyalty.

Both articles warn that nonfinancial compensation schemes must be fair, objective, and realistic to discourage employees from “gaming” the system by working for the reward and not the overall benefit of the company. Discussions about how to motivate through nonmonetary rewards are a very useful device for engaging employees, if the option for these benefits is available. In addition, until middle management and supervisors also adapt their behaviors to support a corporate culture that recognizes and rewards teamwork and respect for diverse skills, talents, and personalities, any incentive-based motivational program will be eroded by a “do as I say, not as I do” credibility gap.

Crossing the divide: young Moroccans reaching for the future

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If Moroccans were any kinder, I would be buying an apartment in this North African nation tomorrow – the only challenge being where! Their multilingual skills were prominently displayed for the past 10 days as I struggled in French, Arabic, and English to get to know Moroccans under 40, many under 30, who are part of the new wave of university graduates and Moroccans returning from abroad committed to building the future Morocco. It was more than invigorating to be talking with young people the age of my children, having conversations that were incisive, insightful, and clear-eyed about the opportunities in their country. They were open and willing to discuss a range of issues related to their aspirations and motivation. As my sentences tumbled out in broken bits of languages, they were immediately in tune with both the intent and the context of my remarks and questions, displaying a sense of humor and desire to understand and to be understood.

These are trying times in Morocco. Against a backdrop of the drama of rifts in the governing political coalition, a large number of regional and international conferences in Morocco are focusing on its place in the global market. There is a growing appreciation that business as usual, whether that means speaking French and selling into the EU or maintaining rigid labor and business hierarchies, is not sufficient. Foreign direct investment continues to grow incrementally, moving beyond real estate and tourism into manufacturing sectors that rely on the improving infrastructure and competitive salaries that Morocco provides. The renewable energy sector, including wind and solar power, is broadening its scope of activities from north to south, requiring even more investment in transportation, power, and broadband/IT services. Most importantly, all of these projects provide opportunities to engage Moroccans who have the talent and energy to acquire or develop skills needed in the global market.

As I spoke with the young people about what skills or attitudes would help Moroccans meet future challenges, the words I heard most often were innovation, creativity, breaking barriers, adaptation, caring, and courage. There is a tension, mirroring young people globally, when they talk about the older elites and networks that they believe limit their prospects for growth. Their impatience and sense of entitlement echoes US graduates whose expectations are undergoing shock therapy in today’s jobs marketplace. As these rising Moroccan stars re-examine their professional aspirations, I detect in many of them a more holistic style in approaching job opportunities. Of course salaries are the first priority but there was a very strong emphasis on the processes and environments they value.

It was surprising that courage came up so often, and for them it has at least two elements. The first is having the confidence to take initiatives, make suggestions, and address issues that in the past had been the purview of only those higher up the workplace food chain. They felt that the support of their peers and managers is the key to building this confidence. The second, closely aligned dimension is risk-taking – feeling secure enough that trial and error is an option because it promotes learning, innovation, and team building. Most felt that risk-taking is valued more inside international companies than Moroccan firms, which often are reluctant to suggest out-of-the-box alternative solutions to their customers. I found this perception was especially strong among those who had worked/studied abroad and experienced the benefits of a more collaborative and creative work milieu. One of the pleasant surprises I encountered in the more than two dozen interviews I conducted is the pride that older (over 40) Moroccan managers have in young people. While counseling that they should be patient and acquire more experience, these managers appreciate the dynamic and intense work styles of their younger teammates. This was quite interesting as at least half of the group is Moroccan women under 35.

I spent a solid ten days in Casablanca building new ties to Morocco and renewing past friendships. While the confidence of the Moroccans with whom I spoke is tempered by the barriers they encounter, there is an essential conviction running through all of them that Morocco can make the needed changes to compete globally. And they are very excited and motivated about being part of that change.

From winning to working: challenges of moving beyond the Arab uprisings

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I must admit that sometimes I am a bit confused by how some very good people frame their analyses of MENA issues. A recent case in point is a blog by Frederic Hof, one of my favorite writers on the Levant. He writes that the major question for the Arabs is “what will follow the Ottoman system as the true source of political legitimacy? The emerging answer is that for governments to be legitimate, they must ultimately derive their powers from the consent of the governed. This, in my view, is the meaning of the Arab Spring.”

Well, historical antecedents aside…that is a useful, as yet un-validated, position. He goes on to write, “Since the downfall of the four hundred-year empire only ninety years ago, Arabs have struggled to find the location of the stabilizing political legitimacy that once resided in the system of the Sultan-Caliph. Legitimacy has nothing to do with whether people approve or disapprove of the performance of a particular leader or government. It has everything to do with the right of a government to govern, whether it does so well or poorly. It is the system that is important; not the person.”

To speak of the Ottoman system or any of its predecessors as having the “right” to govern the Arab lands any more than other colonial powers turns history a bit on its head. However, his point that “it is the system that is important” is a hypothesis worth testing under the current tempest of transitions in the MENA region.

Perhaps the first consideration is where political legitimacy resides. Since the only clear example of retained legitimacy in North Africa after the Arab uprisings is Morocco, which was not ruled by the Ottomans and certainly did not cede legitimacy to the French and Spanish occupations, the legitimacy question is more applicable to Tunisia, Libya, and Egypt. None of these countries yet has a constitution as the basis for governing, and so the jury is still out on the “system” of governance. In the contestation between Islamic parties and their “secular” counterparts, it is unclear where the mantle of leadership will be awarded by “the consent of the governed.” Those who are not fans of the Islamic government in Egypt should as well be concerned about the “tyranny of the majority” from the left or the right.

In a recent Viewpoints paper produced by the Wilson Center, Marina Ottaway analyzes the steps secular parties can take to be more competitive in Tunisia and Egypt. Her central theme is that “the secular opposition…has been unable to develop a clear message, build viable political parties, or overcome its fragmentation.” It is a telling assessment when combined with a recent remark by an Arab head of state visiting Washington, DC, who said that “there is no Arabic or Hebrew word for strategy,” focusing on the need for Arab countries to consult more seriously on complex issues such as Syria and the peace process.

While it may be that political leadership in these countries is still in flux, the bottom line, according to Ottaway is, “The transitions that started with the 2011 uprisings will not lead to a democratic outcome unless a better balance is established between Islamist and secular forces…The real issue is that democracy does not depend on the behavior of one party or faction, but on a pluralistic and balanced political spectrum. And that balance must be established in the electoral arena.” [emphasis added] And here is the challenge of history: How do societies wherein political, religious, ethnic, and socio-economic differences have been exploited for generations regard others as fellow seekers for justice and equality? How do elections, which historically have been engineered to satisfy narrowly defined constituencies, all at once become an expression of the will of the people, of “the consent of the governed?” How do issues of emerging political identities avoid being strapped with religious or personality-driven labels that stereotype their agendas before they are subject to the realities of the political marketplace of negotiation?

Ottaway offers several prescriptions to secular parties on how to capture the high ground in the political landscape: develop a clear message; develop an organization; and unite their leadership. She points out that the Islamic parties in Egypt and Tunisia have yet to articulate clear economic platforms that define their actions for governing. The secular parties “have also failed so far to suggest their own remedies in a way designed to gain broad support.” Let me suggest that perhaps this is an area where the Morocco experience may be helpful. The government’s economic plans are well articulated and targeted but have foundered in winning Parliamentary approval. At least the people know what they voted for, even if it has not yet been delivered.

Ottoway believes that the lack of cohesive secular political parties reflects, in many ways, the “social distance that separates the secular leadership from much of the population.” Again, when I look at Morocco, where the PJD and Istiqlal parties have maintained solid support among their members, they stand in contrast to less cohesive parties elsewhere. As Ottaway remarks, “….they need to decide that the non-glamorous task of building machines is worth the effort and they do not appear to have done so thus far.” This is a lesson across the Maghreb where public patience should not be taken for granted.

Finally, there is the issue of leadership, where “Individuals who in theory share the same ideals of a democratic country that protects human rights and individual freedoms, respects diversity, and takes its place among modern nations are showing little inclination to work together for the common goal.” It is counterintuitive for politicians, who seek the limelight to illuminate their positions, to defer to others and trust in coalition-building in which they are not prominently featured. Many people in the region have long lamented the lack of an Arab Nelson Mandela, but hand-wringing does not enlarge the capacity for thoughtful and effective leadership in the region.

As the Arab peoples embark on perhaps their first realistic opportunity in modern times to own their political legitimacy, the first step may be to actually build a consensus of the governed rather than proclaiming their differences.

Managing the dynamics of Morocco’s reforms, can a tidal wave be tamed?

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“…the transformation of a country is no easy matter…What we take for granted—a concept of citizenship, respect for a constitution, competent governance and an independent judiciary—have to, in large part, be started from scratch…That requires immense patience…and…requires a long- term commitment by the West…” So wrote Jennifer Rubin in her daily blog, Right Turn: “The Arab Spring: No walk in the park.” She had just spoken to a Moroccan thought leader, Professor Rachid Benmokhtar Benabdallah, who was in Washington, DC to speak at the German Marshall Fund on reform in Morocco and the Economic, Social, and Environment Council (CESE) project on regionalization in the Saharan provinces.

Professor Benabdallah and I had several opportunities during his visit to discuss the prospects for reforms in Morocco and his degree of optimism regarding the outcomes. “People who have responsibility for change have to have some pessimism to make them work harder to achieve the right outcomes,” he said, “With the right tools and training, we can do a lot in Morocco but it is not easy and it is not quick.” He pointed out that the baseline for today’s steps forward is the report on the first 50 years of Morocco’s human development prepared at the behest of King Mohammed VI. It was this report that laid out the challenges facing the country as it develops a more equitable and inclusive society. It was a bombshell, similar in impact to the United Nations Development Programme’s Arab National Human Development Reports, both of which provided a framework for analyzing the achievements and deficiencies in the Arab world.

Professor Benabdallah pointed out that the 50 years assessment was much broader in scope than the UNDP studies and provided the logic for the National Initiative for Human Development (INDH), which is Morocco’s roadmap for eliminating poverty, building sustainable economic growth in poor and marginalized communities, and enhancing local governance and inclusion. After achieving very positive results in its first phase (2005-2010), INDH was renewed in 2011, dealing with many of the issues raised during the Arab uprisings. This, according to Professor Benabdallah, is the nexus of the current challenge – how to learn from the results accomplished so far to accelerate efforts that respond to the legitimate aspirations of those who are pessimistic about the government’s efforts to tackle serious problems in employment, education, social services, housing, transparency, and governance.

As a result of INDH and Morocco’s vibrant civil society, a strong base exists from which to move forward. A key ingredient is the government’s role in enabling local communities and leadership to generate the inclusive, kinetic projects that solve problems and build sustainable alternatives. The Professor was quite adamant about the importance of capacity and institution building as core principles of human development. He believes that communities that demonstrate their commitment to economic and social progress should have resources to support their strategies. According to Benabdallah, democracy doesn’t come as a result of political will alone; it requires institutions, capabilities, normative values, and a shared sense of purpose. This is the strongest lesson of INDH. “Communities and individuals have acquired new ‘value and dignity’ and adopted a ‘better look on the future’,” says INDH National Coordinator Nadira El Guermai. “They only needed someone to help them realize it – and this is an important part of INDH. This allows the person to say, I am someone, and able.”

Where to begin? Families, schools, and jobs are the most important facilitators of civic values, citizenship, and participation in society. The future is constrained when people are marginalized, when young people carry the twin burdens of distrust of institutions and few market-ready skills, if courts and administrative bodies do not implement laws to protect women and girls, and when social biases still affect someone’s job opportunities. Professor Benabdallah believes that the US and other countries can be “part of the solution” by making available best practices, technologies, and strategies for local governance that provide Moroccan communities with tools to engage each other and centers of power. He is bullish on Morocco’s future because the majority of Moroccan people are looking for change that is inclusive and sustainable. If the tools are coming and the reforms are moving forward, then sufficient time and resources to sustain reforms are the key.