Rabat – King Mohammed VI has given a speech to the first National Conference on Advanced Regionalization in Agadir on December 20, calling on the government to take the regionalization process seriously.
Minister of the Interior Abdelouafi Laftit read the message of the King to the conference, convening at least 1,400 attendees.
Throughout his recent speeches, the monarch has been calling on political leaders to put in place a new paradigm to meet the demands and aspirations of citizens and establish economic opportunities as well as administrative accountability.
Advanced regionalization seeks to improve public services and to increase administrative performance at the service of citizens.
The King has acknowledged Morocco’s notable achievements in recent years in terms of infrastructure and business, but says more work should be done to meet citizens’ demands.
The development model has a concern for the monarch, who called for a new one to cover all expectations and aspirations.
In his speech, the monarch called on local governments, administrations, and all public institutions to “mobilize their human, financial and logistical resources to provide fair and efficient public services throughout the Kingdom.”
The monarch recognized that all efforts to implement the regionalization project “will still fall short” of Morocco’s expectations as “long as it is not accompanied by a set of indispensable measures that make it possible for regions to exercise their powers fully and more effectively.”
For the King, it is important to speed up the process of administrative decentralization.
Decentralization plans “must be based on actual devolution to regions of function-related and decision-making powers,” he said.
Opening to private sector
King emphasized that public investment is not enough by itself to ensure better development momentum. He called for the private sector to engage and ensure success of the regionalization project.
“It is important to take the necessary measures to inform private investors of investment opportunities at the regional level, particularly with regard to real estate, land use planning and development sectors that represent a priority for the region concerned,” said the King.
The monarch echoed a call he made during the opening of the legislative year in October. In a speech then, the King urged the private sector, especially banks and financial institutions to play an integral part in Morocco’s new development model.
The King concluded his message to the conference, hoping for the symposium to be a “special opportunity for careful reflection, fruitful research and serious dialogue to make an accurate assessment of the outcome of efforts to implement advanced regionalization.”
Hundreds of attendees are taking part in the conference, including elected officials, representatives of various ministries, academics, and international experts.
