RABAT, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Morocco's unemployment rate rose to 13 percent in 2023, up from 11.8 percent in 2022, the kingdom's national statistics office said on Monday.
The number of unemployed people hit 1.58 million in 2023, up from 1.44 million in 2022, the High Commission for Planning (HCP) said in a press release.
The unemployment rate in rural regions increased from 5.2 percent in 2022 to 6.3 percent in 2023, while the unemployment rate in urban areas increased from 15.8 percent to 16.8 percent.
Part of the job losses is due to the severe drought Morocco is experiencing for the sixth consecutive year, a big threat to the primary sector that generates 12 percent of the country's GDP. ■