Morocco has allocated an additional MAD 15 billion ($1.65 billion) to expand its national employment strategy, targeting young people who are neither working nor in school.

The investment forms the backbone of the country’s Employment Roadmap 2030.

The announcement comes as Morocco's strict unemployment rate stood at 9.5% in the second quarter of 2026, with 1.121 million people out of work out of a labour force of 11.76 million. Youth unemployment among those aged 15 to 24 remains elevated at 27.2%.

Minister of Economic Inclusion, Small Business, Employment and Skills Younes Sekkouri detailed the new funding in a written response to the House of Councilors.

The initiative is part of the government’s broader pledge to create at least one million net jobs between 2021 and 2026.

"Our priority is reaching young people who are neither employed, in education, nor receiving vocational training," Sekkouri stated.

A central feature of the roadmap is expanding employment programmes to include youth without formal degrees—a group that has traditionally been locked out of active labour market initiatives.

The government is also tackling barriers that keep women out of the workforce, including childcare availability, public lighting and safe transportation.

The National Agency for the Promotion of Employment and Skills (ANAPEC) has set ambitious targets under its 2022–2026 strategic plan.

The agency aims to help 800,000 people secure employment and support 60,000 new entrepreneurs.

"Regional labour market assessments will be conducted to identify sectors with the greatest job creation potential," Sekkouri explained, adding that employment programmes will be tailored to local economic conditions.

The strategy also focuses on reducing school dropout rates and expanding "Second Chance Schools" for early school leavers. Existing programmes such as "Idmaj" and "Tahfiz" will be extended to new sectors.

The government plans to leverage several national development initiatives, including the Mohammed VI Investment Fund and the Generation Green agricultural strategy.

Regional councils will contribute funding for programmes supporting vulnerable job seekers, self-employment, cooperatives and income-generating projects. ANAPEC is also implementing eight modernisation projects, including the launch of five pilot digital employment agencies and the expansion of its regional network.