Morocco

Police were forced to intervene to break up an anti-unemployment rally outside the southern city of Ben Guerir on January 20. During the protest, 70 jobless demonstrators threatened to commit 'collective suicide' by walking into a phosphate quarry. Six people were arrested on suspicion of inciting the rally. The region has the second lowest per capita GDP in the country. Despite relatively healthy economic growth, job shortages remain a problem across Morocco, and the issue has inspired a string of minor protests in recent months. The unemployment rate stood at 9.1% at end-2011.

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