Rabat – The government council approved on Thursday two draft decrees that give legal effect to the royal decision designating October 31 as a national holiday, known as Aid Al Wahda (Unity Day).
The decision follows a Royal Decree by King Mohammed VI that names October 31 as a national holiday after the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 2797 (2025), a landmark decision that made Morocco’s Autonomy Plan the sole basis for coming to a resolution on the Sahara dispute.
According to the Royal Cabinet, Unity Day will reflect attachment to national constants and legitimate rights, and will also coincide with royal pardons.
In a brief address after the Security Council vote, the monarch described the moment as a decisive turning point in modern Moroccan history.
The first draft decree updates the 2004 text that defines paid public holidays across agricultural and non-agricultural sectors.
Submitted by the Minister of Economic Inclusion, Younes Sekkouri, the measure adds Unity Day to the official list of holidays observed by private-sector workers.
A second draft decree extends the same status to public administrations, public institutions, and concessionary services.
This text amends a 1977 decree that regulates statutory holidays in the public sector and was presented by the Minister Delegate in charge of Digital Transition and Administrative Reform, Amal El Fallah Seghrouchni.
Government spokesperson Mustapha Baitas said the approval of the two decrees ensures that this newly officialized holiday applies across all sectors, removing uncertainty for employers and institutions.
Baitas also described the decision as carrying strong national meaning. He said the establishment of Unity Day marks a pivotal moment for Morocco’s primary national cause and reinforces unity and attachment to the country’s core principles and legitimate rights.
The decrees are expected to take effect after publication in the Official Bulletin and the legal process required to integrate them into the national calendar is completed.
