Private investment under macroeconomic adjustment in Morocco

Abstract

A significant domestic counterpart of Morocco's vigorous external adjustment in the eighties was a decline in fixed capital formation, of which the private sector bore a sizable share. The authors focus on the causes of declining private investment and on the policiesrequired to reverse this trend. Using an eclectic framework, they econometrically determine the main determinants of private investment in Morocco. They conclude that the main causes of the decline in the eighties were great uncertainty about policy (proxied by foreign debt), a rapid rise in the cost of capital, a more stringent credit policy, and reduced public capital. They further conclude that fiscal stabilization, a consistent foreign debt policy, more investment in public infrastructure, and a reform of investment codes would increase private investment and growth in Morocco. Moreover, reform of the financial sector could significantly improve the efficiency of financial intermediation and therefore the quality of investment in Morocco.Financial Intermediation,Economic Theory&Research,Environmental Economics&Policies,Trade and Regional Integration,International Terrorism&Counterterrorism