“Whenever the conditions are right, and each time they commit to seriousness and to the spirit of patriotism, Moroccan youth always manage to dazzle the world with great, unprecedented accomplishments”. The Throne Day Speech emphasized the values that should encourage the acceleration of the pace of economic and social progress. The Sovereign could not have been clearer: “As long as seriousness is the driving force behind our actions, we will succeed in overcoming difficulties and meeting challenges”. If events such as the feat of the national team at the World Cup or the development of a prototype of a hydrogen car bear witness to Moroccan genius, young people are particularly called upon today to “redouble their inventiveness and creativity”. This momentum will make it possible to strengthen the promotion of the made-in-Morocco label, and to consolidate Morocco’s positioning as a major destination for productive investments.
■ Integrated approach: Today, seriousness is the key word for the next period. It must “constantly define our course of action, in everyday life as well as in the workplace”. For the Sovereign, this attitude must be rigorous in the various sectors. This concerns in particular the political, administrative, and judicial domains. The idea is that dedication to serving the citizenry should be the norm. This requires the identification of highly qualified people, and by the primacy granted to the interest of the Nation and of the citizens. To achieve this, it is equally important to break with one-upmanship and narrow calculations. It is an integrated approach that subordinates the exercise of responsibility to the requirement of accountability. This approach is based on the values of work, merit, and equal opportunity. The major strategic projects for the generalization of social protection, the upgrading of the health system, the reform of education, the fight against unemployment, and other projects, cannot be effective if seriousness is not required. The business community was also challenged and urged to act differently. “The seriousness that we advocate must prevail among the business community, in the fields of investment and production”, underlined the Sovereign.
■ Green economy: The royal speech also highlighted the opportunities currently available in a context of reconfiguration of global value chains. The idea is to reach a new level, now that the development momentum has reached a stage of advanced maturity. After a difficult post-Covid period, coupled with successive years of drought at the national level, the inflationary trend is beginning to see the beginning of a gradual decline. This is why it is “urgent for us to show seriousness in order to establish a climate of trust and seize new opportunities”. This is crucial for strengthening the resilience of the national economy and accelerating the recovery momentum. This should in particular be based on the advantages of the transition to a green economy. The Sovereign recalled the launch of the OCP Group’s Green Investment Program, alongside the acceleration of the renewable energy rollout plan. The Government was challenged and urged to rapidly roll out the «Morocco offering» in terms of green hydrogen. The idea is to “best meet the expectations of leading global investors in this promising field. ”
■ Social protection: Targeting In the social field, the Sovereign has called on the Government to speed up the pace. “We expect social benefits to begin, as planned, to be paid to the targeted households at the end of the current year. The goal is to help improve the living conditions of millions of households. This system is considered a pillar of the development model, aimed in particular at preserving the dignity of citizens.”
■ Water Resources: Stop waste The seriousness advocated by the royal speech must also be in order in the field of water management. The Sovereign could not be clearer: “There will be zero tolerance for any form of mismanagement, or chaotic, irresponsible use of water resources.” The Government is called upon to ensure the strict monitoring of all stages of the implementation of the National Drinking Water Supply and Irrigation Program 2020-2027.
Morocco-Algeria: Outstretched hand
Despite the proliferation of negative signals from the Algerian leaders, Morocco has remained consistent in its positions. Once again, the Sovereign extends his hand to the neighbor to the East. “For several months, many people have been asking to know how relations between Morocco and Algeria are faring. These relations are stable, but we nevertheless aspire for them to be better”. HM the King once again reassured Algerian leaders and citizens that they “will never have to fear malice from Morocco”. The ambition today is to promote a return to normalcy and the reopening of borders. Nevertheless, this will not be done to the detriment of the territorial integrity of the Kingdom. On the progress concerning the settlement of this artificial dispute, the Sovereign specified that it is “seriousness that, against a background of legitimacy, triggered cascading recognitions of Morocco’s sovereignty over its Southern provinces”.
M.A.M.
