Morocco’s King Mohammed VI has called for new strategies to strengthen water, energy and food security, industrial development and artificial intelligence, while urging reforms to improve regional development and youth employment.
In a speech to Parliament on Friday, October 9, at the opening of the first session of the first legislative year of the 12th Legislature, the King said Morocco needed to build on its development achievements while ensuring that economic growth translated into greater social and territorial equity.
He said the country should accelerate major infrastructure projects and develop its strategic reserves to secure supplies of essential commodities.
The King also called on the private sector to take a stronger role in the country’s economic transformation by increasing investment, exports and job creation.
He said youth issues should be central to public policy, with a comprehensive approach to equal opportunities in education, skills development and economic integration.
The proposed measures, he said, should strengthen young people’s confidence in their prospects for social advancement and help them build a future characterised by freedom, dignity and stability.
Regional development and decentralisation
King Mohammed VI identified local action as a major challenge for the next phase of Morocco’s development, calling for authorities to identify the specific problems facing each region and develop practical solutions.
He said delays in implementing decentralisation and administrative deconcentration were affecting economic and social development programmes and limiting the government’s ability to respond to citizens’ concerns.
He called for the full implementation of the administrative deconcentration charter, including the transfer of responsibilities and the necessary human and financial resources from central government to provincial and regional authorities.
He also urged the government to address obstacles facing regional institutions, including unclear responsibilities and inadequate resources, and establish stronger coordination between the state and the regions.
King calls for review of migration cooperation
The King also called for a reassessment of Morocco’s cooperation arrangements on migration, saying the existing model had become outdated and that recurring crises demonstrated the need for change.
He cited challenges in cooperation with neighbouring Spain, particularly over the repatriation of minors and people whose asylum claims Morocco considers unfounded.
He said some legal provisions and judicial rulings were obstructing repatriations and contributing to opportunities for criminal networks.
The King stressed that Morocco’s partnership with Spain was a sovereign choice and would not be subject to pressure, threats or blackmail.
He said Morocco would present its partners with a document setting out a strategic vision for future cooperation, with an emphasis on shared development, economic competitiveness and regional stability.
The speech also highlighted Morocco’s international standing, with the King describing the country as a responsible partner committed to meeting its obligations and expecting the same commitment from others.
He concluded by reminding members of Parliament that their mandate represented a political commitment and a moral obligation to the citizens they serve.
