Dynamics of urban growth and challenges of territorial governance in Morocco: between challenges and perspectives

Dynamiques de croissance urbaine et enjeux de la gouvernance territoriale au Maroc: entre défis et perspectives

Manal Nachite () and Taoufiq Yahyaoui
Additional contact information
Manal Nachite: UM5 - Université Mohammed V de Rabat [Agdal]
Taoufiq Yahyaoui: UM5 - Université Mohammed V de Rabat [Agdal]

Post-Print from HAL

Abstract: This paper examines the dynamics of urban growth and the challenges of territorial governance in three major Moroccan cities: Rabat, Casablanca, and Tangier. Drawing on a panel data set spanning the period from 2010 to 2023, we employ an econometric model using the ordinary least squares (OLS) method to examine the impact of multiple socio-economic variables on urban growth. The study primarily focuses on the role of local governance, public investment, unemployment, and access to basic services as key explanatory variables. Our findings highlight that territorial governance exerts a strong and statistically significant positive effect on urban growth. Similarly, public investments appear to be a powerful driver of urban development by stimulating infrastructure expansion and local economic activities. Access to essential urban services such as healthcare, education, and transportation also plays a vital role in enhancing urban dynamics and reducing spatial inequalities. Conversely, the results indicate that high unemployment rates continue to constrain urban expansion, underscoring the importance of inclusive labor market policies. The comparison between the three cities reveals that Tangier, benefiting from large-scale infrastructure projects such as the Tangier Med Port, experiences a more dynamic urban growth compared to Casablanca and Rabat. This research provides policy-relevant into the mechanisms of urban transformation in Morocco. It suggests that strengthening governance structures, improving coordination between territorial actors, and increasing investment in basic services are essential for sustainable and equitable urban development. The findings contribute to a better understanding of urbanization processes in the global south, and inform strategies to foster resilient and inclusive cities.

Keywords: urban growth; territorial governance; econometric model; Morocco; Moroccan cities. Classification JEL: R11; R58; H70; O18; C23; R13; urban growth territorial governance econometric model Morocco Moroccan cities. Classification JEL: R11 R58 H70 O18 C23 R13 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025-08-06
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-mac
Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://hal.science/hal-05727059v1
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Published in International Journal of Accounting, Finance, Auditing, Management and Economics, 2025

Downloads: (external link)
https://hal.science/hal-05727059v1/document (application/pdf)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:journl:hal-05727059

Access Statistics for this paper

More papers in Post-Print from HAL
Bibliographic data for series maintained by CCSD ().