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Join us as we welcome Simon Martin CMG, His Majesty's Ambassador to Morocco on Thursday 15th June from 11:40-12:40 BST.
Morocco has undergone a sharp deceleration due to domestic and international shocks – a drought and high commodity prices. Real Gross domestic product (GDP) growth plummeted from 7.9 to an estimated 1.2 percent between 2021 and 2022. These shocks triggered supply-driven inflationary pressures that have broadened, pushing core inflation to 8.5 percent in February 2023 and disproportionately affecting poorer households
Ongoing reforms should allow for a more cost-effective and equitable response to future shocks. These reforms focus primarily on the social sectors as the authorities are determined to improve key public services both in terms of access and quality.
Morocco is heavily exposed to climatic shocks, which remain a major source of macroeconomic volatility. The government has traditionally coped with water scarcity through dams and irrigation investments. But the latest drought has coincided with historically low water reserves, severely reducing water availability for irrigation. The government is accelerating desalination projects while exploring options to improve water valuation and rationalize demand.
Mr Simon Martin CMG was appointed as His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Morocco in February 2020. He presented his credentials to Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita on 28 September 2020.
Prior to his appointment in Morocco, Mr Martin was British Ambassador to Bahrain from 2015 to 2019; Deputy Private Secretary to TRH The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall from 2012 to 2014; Director of Protocol at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Vice-Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps from 2009 to 2012.
Mr Martin joined the FCO in 1984 and served in London, Rangoon, Budapest and Prague in a number of policy and commercial roles.
