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In a recent global evaluation, Morocco obtained varied results concerning its budget management. The assessment noted minimal improvements in transparency; nevertheless, the nation continues to face a substantial deficiency in public participation, alongside restricted legislative supervision and responsibility.

The 2025 Open Budget Index, published by the International Budget Partnership, indicates that Morocco received a score of 51 out of 100 for transparency, 24 for public engagement, and 51 for oversight.

Spanning 83 countries, the index serves as the world’s sole independent research instrument adhering to global standards, evaluating how transparent governments are with their citizens regarding budget-related decisions, such as taxes, public services, and debt levels.

Although Morocco’s transparency rating of 51 is similar to its 2023 score, it still falls short of the 61-point mark seen as “sufficient” for allowing the public to grasp budget choices and participate in meaningful discussions.

The report highlights a significant progress: Morocco released its «Pre-Budget Statement» on the internet for the first time, following previous instances where it did not. Nevertheless, other essential documents are still either not created or not made available in a timely fashion.

In the Middle East and North Africa area, Jordan topped the list with 62 points, followed by Egypt (59), Morocco, Lebanon (22), Palestine (15), Tunisia (11), and Libya (2).

Extremely Limited Public Participation

The report identifies public involvement as Morocco’s most lacking aspect, scoring 24 out of 100. This positions the nation below Egypt (35), but above Jordan (18) and Tunisia (6).

Even though the Ministry of Economy and Finance has implemented «pre-budget consultations» and «electronic consultations» throughout the budgeting process, the report considers these actions inadequate. It suggests increasing involvement by allowing any civil society organization or person who wants to participate, including underrepresented communities, either on their own or via representative groups.

Regarding parliament, although it conducts public hearings as part of the budget approval procedure, members of the public and civil society groups are currently not permitted to provide testimony, either on the proposed budget or audit reports.

The International Budget Partnership suggests that parliament tackle this constraint and further urges the Court of Accounts to create official procedures that allow public participation in determining audit and investigative focuses.

Regarding supervision, Morocco’s score of 51 suggests that the parliament and the Court of Accounts offer merely “limited supervision.”

The report also highlights the lack of an independent financial institution in Morocco, entities that are globally acknowledged for delivering impartial and autonomous analysis to both the executive and legislative branches.

The report ends with a number of suggestions, such as releasing audit and annual reports online promptly, enhancing the quality of the budget proposal by incorporating more detailed information on economic projections and long-term financial stability, guaranteeing that the Ministry of Economy and Finance’s website is available to Moroccans living overseas without location-based limitations, and ensuring that uploaded PDF files are searchable to improve access to information.