Join on WhatsApp
Join on Telegram
Rabat – Reflecting on King Mohammed VI’s speech on Throne Day this weekend, the word seriousness manifests itself throughout. As we bask in the country’s developments over the years, as members of the Moroccan diaspora with millions of us living across the globe and converging in our motherland this summer, I cannot help but ponder about our own seriousness to have a say and stake in the country’s development and support its socio-economic development model.
Whether through material or immaterial contributions ranging from remittances to intellectual brain power and technical expertise to inform Morocco’s development, the diaspora’s unwavering support to their homeland remains steadfast regardless of their hyphenated status, myself being Moroccan-American.
Moroccan remittances, for instance, remain one of the country’s most important assets and among the highest in Africa. However, the non-economic aspect of diaspora contributions remains secondary. This is particularly relevant in terms of access to rights and the urgent need to focus on a rights-based approach when analyzing the Moroccan diaspora’s engagement.
The Moroccan diaspora plays a crucial role in the social, economic, and cultural development of both their host countries and Morocco itself. They act as a bridge between Morocco and their host countries, and export their expertise and resources for the betterment of Morocco. But what about the government’s seriousness to empower its diaspora? Morocco’s government has frequently emphasized the importance of diaspora members and their contribution to the country’s social and economic development. Still, with no representation in parliament and a downgrade of a full-fledged ministry once dedicated to them, it is apparent that diaspora citizens are still disenfranchised and their political rights remain a key area for elaboration.
As the King himself observed in his speech last summer to commemorate the Revolution of the King and the People, “What have we done to strengthen the patriotic feeling of our diaspora? Do the existing legislative framework and public policies take into account their specificities?”
One year later, the diaspora continues to illustrate patriotism and unity around the world, and in Morocco through paradiplomacy.
There is a need to enhance participatory governance and diaspora engagement and democratic representativeness beyond mere law on the books. More diaspora members should be present in consultative processes initiated by the Moroccan government.
In addition to addressing the individual needs and participatory opportunities of diaspora members, Morocco also needs to address the role of organizations working with the Moroccan population residing abroad.
The government should enhance public awareness of civil society organizations representing the diaspora in the area of public participation and to enable them to submit petitions to public authorities, in accordance with constitutional and legislative provisions.
The diaspora and its representative organizations also present an opportunity for paradiplomacy in their resident countries. Accordingly, there is an urgent need to expand support to Moroccan diaspora groups that advance Morocco’s image abroad.
With regard to the socio-economic front, civic engagement is a prime area in which diaspora engagement policies can contribute to preserving the Moroccan identity. Capacity building and technical assistance for Moroccan civil society groups active in the residence country are crucial to the protection of the linguistic, religious, and cultural dimensions of the Moroccan identity as well as their legal empowerment.
Any tangible steps made in the ongoing development of Morocco cannot be successful without the healthy marriage of good governance and the active participation of its citizens not only inside Morocco but also outside the country.
Empowering Moroccans, in their home country and abroad, to participate in policy-making through mechanisms of public consultations and dialogue has the potential to inspire concerted actions and meaningful progress to usher in a new era of participatory rule of law in Morocco.
Today, a new diaspora engagement model, anchored in a rights-based social contract, can set in motion a virtuous cycle of mutually reinforcing political, social and economic inclusion processes in line with the words prescribed in the Throne Day speech.
