Workshop, November 20-23, 2016, Rabat
Could Tunisia celebrate the election of the first female prime minister in 2019? Will Tunisia be able to formalize the informal sector, or will “informal become the new normal”? Will Morocco become the leader in renewable energy and aeronautics in the Maghreb? This November the DGAP’s EU-Middle East Forum invited 18 North African and European mid-level professionals from the fields of academia, civil society, economics, politics, and media to analyze potential socioeconomic developments in Morocco and Tunisia by using the methodology of strategic foresight.
The capacity building workshop took place in Rabat, Morocco November 20-23, 2017 and was organized in close cooperation with the Robert Bosch Stiftung, the German Federal Foreign Office, the Institute for Foreign Cultural Relations (ifa), the Heinrich Böll Stiftung Office Morocco and the Rabat Social Studies Institute.
The precarious socioeconomic conditions that drove the 2011 protests are still very present in Tunisia and Morocco. Though the two countries differ structurally in economic and educational sectors, they share many socioeconomic concerns. Regional disparities, high rates of unemployment (particularly among youths), and a mismatch between the education system and the demands of the job market are just some of the challenges the two countries face. In spite of some progress with regard to greater political participation and representation, socioeconomic reform processes are stagnating as many fundamental issues remain largely unchallenged. However, without these socioeconomic reforms to foster inclusive economic growth based on social justice, participation, and sustainability, the region may face even greater instability.
The workshop aimed to bring together mid-level experts from Tunisia, Morocco, and Europe to assess challenges and opportunities with regard to the socioeconomic development of Morocco and Tunisia and to brainstorm ways of shaping alternative futures for the two countries. The first day of the workshop focused on inputs and discussions with renowned experts in the field, with the next three days dedicated to the methodology of scenario planning. Under the guidance of two scenario trainers from Foresight Intelligence, participants were able to conduct in-depth analyses and discuss factors that may influence socioeconomic development of the two countries, their correlations and potential consequences. Finally, participants developed scenarios for the countries’ socioeconomic prospects in the next ten years as well as options for action.
