Experts warn against optimism as Morocco joins ‘High Human Development’ category in UNDP’s 2025 report

Morocco has officially entered the category of countries with “high human development,” achieving a Human Development Index (HDI) value above 0.700 for the first time, according to the 2025 annual report by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

The North African country ranked 120th globally out of 193 nations, a status that Moroccan civil society actors hailed as a positive step. Rights advocates emphasized that the HDI milestone reflects progress in education, healthcare, and living standards — the three pillars of the index.

However, experts warned against viewing the report solely through a statistical lens. “Development should not be reduced to technical indicators. It must be measured by how public policies affect people’s lives, expand freedoms, and uphold dignity and justice,” said a civil society researcher, calling for a deeper overhaul of Morocco’s development model.

Abdellah Khoudri, president of the Moroccan Center for Human Rights, described the ranking as “a relative improvement” driven by official data, but warned that the HDI overlooks regional and social disparities. “We must go beyond the quantitative to a rights-based and institutional reform approach,” he said, noting persistent challenges in Morocco’s public education and healthcare systems.

Khoudri acknowledged the state’s efforts over the past two decades in poverty reduction and expanding social protection but cautioned that high unemployment and growing inequality continue to undermine progress.

Ahmed Mazhar, head of the Karawiyin Network for Development and Governance, echoed these concerns, urging a nuanced reading of Morocco’s ranking. “We must ask whether this improvement is real progress or a result of global setbacks, including COVID-19, the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, and global economic disruptions,” he said.

Mazhar noted that Morocco made tangible advances in healthcare, particularly in reducing mortality rates, and in education reforms, including the rollout of a national roadmap and pilot schools. Still, he pointed to rising living costs, saying that “Moroccan citizens are feeling the pinch,” as documented by national planning agencies.