EuroMedMig National Workshop: AMERM Rabat – 2021

@EuroMedMig

Date : 27 octobre 2021
Heure : 14h00- 17h00 (Heure du Maroc)
Lieu : Hybride : Zoom & Faculté de droit, des sciences économiques et sociales, Université Mohammed V Agdal (Rabat) (Amphi 1).

Zoom registration through EuroMedMig: Cliquez ici

About this workshop:This National Workshop is part of the EUMedMi project: « Mapping European Mediterranean Migration Studies » (September 2019 – August 2022). Funded by the Erasmus + Jean Monnet Network Program. (Ref: 611260-EPP-1-2019-1-ES-EPPJMO-NETWORK).

Language:

the WS will be entirely in French. Simultaneous translation in English will be delivered through Zoom.

Scientific Organizers:

Boutaina Ismaili Idrissi, Professor of Economics, Mohammed V University Rabat, Member of the scientific committee of AMERM & EUMedMig Steering Committee.

Background:

The foreign migration to Morocco mainly Spanish and French has deep historical roots. Being an old phenomenon that has been fueled by economic, social and even cultural reasons since the second half of the 20th century, this phenomenon has gained momentum in recent years especially in the aftermath of the 2008-2009 global economic crisis.
The latest available data shows the increasing part of French and Spanish migrants among total migrants residing in Morocco. Many factors could explain this trend some of which are the political stability and the economic dynamism in which the country has embarked thanks to the accelerate pace of reforms engaged recently as part of an ambitious goal to improve its integration within the globalization.
Alongside these important factors, Morocco’s geographical proximity, its culture of tolerance and its cost of living affordable comparatively to European standards could also stand as attractive factors that explain why some North American and European mainly French and Spanish citizens choose Morocco as a country of residence.

This roundtable will emphasize key features of this new pattern of migration in the Mediterranean region, which shows that migration flows are unavoidably in one way, i.e., South-North. It could enable a North-South dynamic that may be of great value added to host countries such as Morocco at various level: reinforcement of local demand in the case of retired migrants; setting up of new businesses that create jobs at the local level; a source of expertise to local firms challenged by the shortage of skills and competencies…

In other words, the roundtable will shed light on this new form of migration based on the case of Morocco, its dynamics, and features and to what extent it is due to structural or cyclical factors. It will tackle, therefore, the main policy responses that need to be deployed by so as to grasp the opportunities associated with this type of migration. Other specific aspects will be examined mainly in connection with cultural and socioeconomic integration of mainly French and Spanish Migrants and how this could be used as a strong argument to pledge for a new paradigm of migration within the Mediterranean region.

With the view of the multidimensional aspects to be covered, the research will be based upon a systemic approach and will rely on both qualitative and quantitative tools to assert the key findings. This research is intended to enrich Morocco’s options to promote and take advantage from this type of migration.

The workshop and the speakers should address the main following questions:

• How migration to Morocco from the North has evolved throughout the history?
• What are its features and determinants and to what extent it is due to structural or cyclical factors?
• How about the cultural and socioeconomic integration of mainly French and Spanish migrants and how this could be used as a strong argument to pledge for a new paradigm of migration within the Mediterranean region?
• What is the overall impact of this migration on Morocco’s economy?

Program:

14h – 14h30 Welcome and opening

• Farid El Bacha, Dean of the Faculty of law, economic and social sciences, Agdal Rabat
• Ricard Zapata-Barrero, Directeur du GRITIM-UPF et Coordinateur du Réseau Jean Monnet EuroMedMig
• Mohamed Khachani, Président de l’AMERM

Modératrice de la session : Djamila Chekrouni, Professeure d’économie, Université Mohammed V Rabat & Secrétaire Générale de l’AMERM.

14h30-14h50 The North South migration to Morocco throughout the history

• Mohamed Khachani, Professor of economics, Mohammed V University Rabat & President of AMERM

14h50-15h10 The cultural and socio-economic integration of migrants from the North into Moroccan society

• Abdessalam El Ftouh, Director of the Economic Promotion Department, Foundation Hassan II of Moroccan living abroad and member of the Executive Board of AMERM.

15h10-15h30 Break

15h30-15h50 The legal and institutional framework of foreign migration in Morocco

• Abdellah Ounnir, Professor of private law, Abdelmalek Saâdi University, Tangier.

15h50-16h10 The contribution of the North South migration to Moroccan economy

• Boutaina Ismaili Idrissi, Professor of economics, Mohammed V University Rabat & EuroMedMig member, AMERM

16h10-16h45 General Discussion

The audience will have the opportunity to make questions in English.

16h45-17h00 Concluding Report

• Djamila Chekrouni, Professor of economics, Mohammed V University Rabat & General Secretary of AMERM.
  Secrétaire générale de l’AMERM.

Liste des experts (présentés par ordre alphabétique)

• Djamila Chekrouni, Professor of Economics, Mohammed University V Rabat
• Abdessalam Ftouh, Director of the Economic Promotion Department, Foundation Hassan II for Moroccan living abroad.
• Boutaina Ismaili Idrissi, Professor of Economics, University Mohammed V Rabat
• Mohamed Khachani, Professor of Economics, Mohammed University V Rabat & President of AMERM
• Abdellah Ounnir, Professor of Private Law , Abdelmalek Saâdi University, Tangier Member of the scientific committee of AMERM.
• Ricard Zapata-Barrero, Professor of Political Sciences at the University Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona

Biographie des intervenants (par ordre alphabétique)