Arrests reinforce Rabat's anti-corruption drive

Significance

A major scandal involves a Malian national imprisoned on drug trafficking charges, which has implicated high-ranking individuals. The nature of the cases underlines both the depth of the problem, and the authorities’ newfound appetite for cracking down on corruption, albeit in seemingly selective ways.

Impacts

• The United States and other allies will likely continue to subject Morocco to increased anti-corruption monitoring.
• The government will focus on improving economic conditions, which may help reduce public scrutiny of officials.
• An anti-corruption drive could help the government attract more foreign investments.