Petty and grand corruption is a growing problem within Morocco. A leaked report by a US diplomat stated in 2009 that corruption had become much more institutionalized under King Mohammed VI, and that the royal family had been using public institutions to coerce and solicit bribes.[1]
On Transparency International's 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index, Morocco scored 38 on a scale from 0 ("highly corrupt") to 100 ("very clean"). When ranked by score, Morocco ranked 97th among the 180 countries in the Index, where the country ranked first is perceived to have the most honest public sector.[2] For comparison with worldwide scores, the best score was 90 (ranked 1), the average score was 43, and the worst score was 11 (ranked 180).[3] For comparison with regional scores, the average score among Middle Eastern and North African countries was 34. The highest score among Middle Eastern and North African countries was 68 and the lowest score was 11.[4]
Corruption is also identified by businesses as a large obstacle for investment in Morocco. Public procurement is an area with a high level of corruption, and government contracts are often awarded to well-connected companies. Corruption committed by highly influential persons are rarely prosecuted.[5]