What mitigates economic growth volatility in Morocco?: Remittances or FDI

Abstract

The purpose of the paper is twofold. First, it seeks to meticulously analyze the volatility of economic growth and financial flows in the case of Morocco, i.e., remittances and Foreign Direct Investment. Second, it attempts to address the effects of these financial flows on the economic growth volatility. We provide strong evidence that remittances are less volatile than Foreign Direct Investment with respect to the duration, intensity and volatility clustering. Furthermore, remittances can mitigate the volatility of growth, while Foreign Direct Investment flows amplify it. Our results do not imply that financial flows should be privileged by Moroccan authorities. In fact, our results should encourage the government to implement proactive and favourable policies geared towards productive investment.