High Commission for Planning (Morocco)

The High Commission for Planning (HCP) is the public institution responsible for the production, analysis and dissemination of official statistics in Morocco.^[1]

Created in 2003 during the reign of King Mohammed VI, it succeeded the Ministry of Planning and Economic Forecasts as part of a reorganization of the administrative apparatus responsible for planning and statistical information. Its missions include the preparation of national accounts, the conduct of censuses and statistical surveys, as well as the analysis of the country's economic and social conditions.

The institution is headed by a High Commissioner for Planning, appointed by dahir. Since 2024, this position has been held by Chakib Benmoussa.^[2]

Originally, the missions currently carried out by the High Commission for Planning were performed by the Ministry of Planning and Economic Forecasts, which was responsible for preparing development plans and producing macroeconomic analyses to support public policy.

Over time, administrative reforms aimed at modernizing the national statistical system and strengthening the independence of economic analysis gradually brought together planning and public statistical functions within a dedicated institution. This institutional evolution led to the transformation of the Ministry of Planning and Economic Forecasts into the High Commission for Planning, a structure placed under the direct authority of the Head of Government and responsible for producing official statistics, economic and social studies, as well as national accounts.^[3]

In September 2003, King Mohammed VI appointed Ahmed Lahlimi Alami as High Commissioner for Planning.^[4] This appointment took place as part of the consolidation of the HCP’s role as a central institution of the national statistical system and in the analysis of economic and social conditions.

The legal and organizational framework of the institution was further defined by decree No. 74-12-2, promulgated on 26 January 2012, which set out the responsibilities and administrative organization of the HCP. A few months later, on 5 April 2012, decree No. 152-12-2 replaced in legislative and regulatory texts the designation Ministry of Planning and Economic Forecasts with High Commission for Planning, thereby formalizing the institutional evolution of the organization.

Beyond its statistical functions, the HCP also plays a role in monitoring and analyzing national economic conditions.^[5]

The High Commission for Planning is responsible for the production, analysis and dissemination of official statistics in Morocco. Its responsibilities include the preparation of annual and quarterly national accounts, the evaluation of demographic indicators, and the measurement of various socio-economic indicators such as the unemployment rate.

Through these activities, the institution collects, processes and publishes statistical data intended to inform public policy, academic research and the general public. In terms of its functions, the HCP is often compared with other national statistical institutes, such as the Institut national de la statistique et des études économiques (INSEE) in France, the United States Census Bureau or Statistics Canada.

The HCP makes most of its surveys, studies and statistical data publicly available on its website, thereby contributing to the dissemination of official statistical information.

The HCP operates through several specialized departments and institutions that ensure the quality of national data:^[6]

• Statistical and Accounting Wings: Including the Department of Statistics and the Department of National Accounting.
• Analysis and Forecasting: Managed by the Department of Forecasting and the National Institute for Economic Analysis.
• Research Centers: Such as the Centre for Demographic Studies and Research (CERED) and the Observatory for Household Living Conditions.
• Academic Institutions: The HCP oversees two major higher education institutions, the National Institute of Statistics and Applied Economics (INSEA) and the School of Information Sciences (ESI).

• Official website