“In fact, the segments of society most affected by difficult living conditions reside, for the most part, in rural areas and in the suburbs,” said King Mohammed VI.
Rabat – King Mohammed VI addressed a speech to the Moroccan Nation on the 66th Anniversary of the Revolution of the King and the People. The Royal Speech aired on August 20.
During the royal speech, King Mohammed VI reiterated Morocco’s struggle with social disparities and the necessity to tackle the issue.
The speech echoed a previous call in October 2017 when the King gave the opening speech of the autumn parliamentary session. The monarch then pointed out that the current development plan was unable to “reduce social and inter-regional disparities…and could not ensure social justice.”
In tonight’s speech, the King expressed his hopes that the development model, in its new version, will constitute a solid basis for a new social contract with unanimous support from the State and its institutions, the private sector, political unions, associations, as well as all citizens.
The renewal of the development model aims to improve the living conditions of Moroccan citizens and to reduce social and spatial inequalities.
The King indicated that the most disadvantaged categories of the population live in rural areas and in urban peripheries.
“These segments of the population need further assistance, and greater attention should be paid to their conditions. Continued action is also required to respond to their pressing needs,” He added.
The King explained that his preoccupation with social disparities across Morocco has been the drive behind his calls for the development of rural communities.
The King called for the facilitation of rapid access to basic social services, and the provision of the necessary support for schooling, and the fight against poverty.
King Mohammed VI also emphasized that, in order to fight social disparities, Morocco launched the ambitious National Program for the Reduction of Disparities in Rural Areas.
The King pointed out that the Kingdom allocated in the region of MAD 50 billion for the program’s implementation for the period of 2016-2022.
However, the responsibility for social development does not fall on the State alone. The King addressed the populations concerned and incited them to take initiative to improve their living conditions and change their social situation.
For this purpose, this must use the various means at its disposal. “One of the possibilities is to make sure they benefit from access to education, which is available throughout the country, and from vocational training opportunities and social welfare programs,” said the King.
The King’s speech emphasized that the potential of rural communities must be exploited, with, as a priority, the Sulaliyat communal agricultural lands. King Mohammed VI recommended the mobilization of these lands for agricultural investment projects.
The Sulaliyat lands were recently the subject of three important bills. The bills were unanimously adopted by the House of Representatives. These lands have long been a source of debate as women, also known as Sulaliyat, have been struggling for more than 10 years for equal rights of ownership.
However, he clarified that “government efforts on their own will not suffice to ensure the success of such a major operation.” He insisted on the need for full coordination between the sectors concerned.
The King called for using “the opportunities and possibilities offered in fields other than that of agriculture, such as rural tourism, commerce, and local industry” in order to “boost and encourage private initiative and self-employment.”
