RABAT, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- Morocco's unemployment rate slightly rose to 9.3 percent, up from 9.1 percent a year earlier, a report from the official High Commission For Planning indicated on Sunday.
According to the report, the number of unemployed people increased to 1.12 million, 33,000 more compared to the same period in 2016.
The Moroccan economy created some 74,000 in the second quarter of 2017.
Benefitting from heavy rainfall, 54,000 new jobs were created in agriculture, which accounts for some 15 percent of Morocco's gross domestic product and employs more than half its workforce.
Services and construction sectors created 19,000 and 7,000 jobs respectively, while manufacturing lost 4,000 jobs.
Unemployment rate increased among women from 12.7 percent to 13.2, and among young people aged 15 to 24 from 23.2 to 23.5 percent.
The Moroccan government aims to reduce unemployment rate to at least 8.5 percent by 2021.
