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Rabat – Following King Mohammed VI’s call for the government to reconsider Morocco’s development model, Head of Government Saad Eddine El Othmani has pledged to address shortcomings and curb regional disparities.
In a speech delivered on October 13 during the opening session of the new legislative year, the King said that despite the fact that Morocco has made tangible progress, “we have to admit that our national development model no longer responds to citizens’ growing demands and pressing needs.”
The King noted that the current development model “has not been able to reduce disparities between segments of the population, correct inter-regional imbalances or achieve social justice,” and he urged the government to reconsider the country’s development model “in order to keep abreast of changes in the country.”
In response to the King’s orders, El Othmani said during a meeting this week that the government is planning to set up a ministerial committee to reconsider and review the current development model, which has failed to curb disparities between regions according to the King.
“The economic development model put in place reached its limits and needs to be renewed and developed,” said the head of government during a forum organized by Maghreb Arab Press (MAP) on October 17.
The committee will be in charge of proposing ideas to address deficiencies at the level of managing public affairs.
El Othmani cited a study on the current development model, showing that it cannot achieve a high growth rate of the national economy and does not provide sufficient employment opportunities. He emphasized that the government needs to give a strong push for economic activities.
During his speech, the King urged the government to come up with “innovative, bold solutions, even if that means going into uncharted territory or causing a political earthquake.” The King’s speech opened the door to a round of media speculation that there would be a cabinet or expanded government reshuffle
However, El Othmani refuted these speculations, explaining that the political earthquake that the King referred to “does not refer to dissolving the government and the parliament, although the King has the constitutional power to dissolve them if he sees that necessary.”
“The political earthquake expression used in the King’s speech was normal and it should not be amplified or isolated from its context,” said El Othmani.
The head of government also denied the existence of a conflict between the parties, explaining that “there is dissimilarity between the parties, but there are clear mechanisms to overcome them.” He added that that the priority of Morocco’s government is to communicate and listen to all labor unions, political, economic, and social parties.
El Othmani said that the government negotiates with all the parties. “We listen to their problems through direct dialogue because our goal is to give regionalism the status it deserves.”
However, the head also noted that the government is dealing with problems one by one, as they are presented. “We believe that it is not possible to solve all the problems at once,” said El Othmani, explaining that the government “cannot only respond to people who protest.”
“We will work to solve the problems in the right time in accordance to the government’s capacity. This is our duty […] we have full confidence in the future of our country, and in the success of the government as long as it seeks to listen to all the parties and achieve its goals. The government has the power of decision,” said El Othmani.
During the forum, El Othmani stressed the importance of joint cooperation between the various parties, looking to strengthen trust in institutions and the country. “There is an international appreciation for Morocco and King Mohammed VI, thus it is not permissible to promote a negative outlook about the country.”
El Othmani added that although the government has deficiencies and imbalances, Morocco has has been able to overcome many obstacles. “It is necessary to create hope and continue to build the country and work to address shortcomings.”
