Moroccans celebrated, on July 30, the 24th anniversary of the accession of His Majesty King Mohammed VI to the Throne of His glorious ancestors, a moment of commemoration of a common history, filled with a strong feeling of patriotism which reflects the perfect harmony between the Throne and the people.
This long-awaited anniversary symbolizes the unwavering attachment of all components of the nation to the Alawite Throne. It is also an opportunity to reiterate our respect, esteem, and permanent devotion for HM King Mohammed VI, promote the values of authenticity and democracy, and get together in favor of the defense of the Kingdom’s freedom and territorial integrity.
Since the anniversary of the enthronement of Sultan Sidi Mohammed Ben Youssef, which took place November 18, 1933, Throne Day continues today to inspire Morocco’s march towards progress and development, to reveal the strong ties uniting the King and his people.
Today is also an opportunity to reiterate our support to His Majesty the King, recognizing the tireless efforts that the Sovereign continues to deploy for the benefit of Morocco and Moroccans, and recall some of the most important achievements that the Kingdom has witnessed since His Majesty’s ascension to the throne.
Moroccan Autonomy Plan
The Moroccan Autonomy Plan was presented on April 11, 2007, to negotiate a system of autonomy for the Sahara region in response to the calls of the United Nations (UN) Security Council (SC), which is in charge of examining this conflict to reach a final political solution.
Since its presentation, the Moroccan Autonomy Plan has been enjoying the support of several countries, such as the US, Spain, France, Germany, Guinea, Chile, Italy, and the Netherlands.
Most recently, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed a letter to His Majesty King Mohammed VI, in which he informed the Sovereign of Israel’s decision to recognize Morocco’s sovereignty over its Sahara.
Since 2019, several countries that support the Moroccan Autonomy Plan opened consulates general either in Dakhla or Laayoune, notably the USA, the UAE, Bahrain, Comoros, Guinea Bissau, Sierra Leone, and Suriname.
His Majesty King Mohammed VI places Morocco’s territorial integrity and sovereignty over its Sahara at the center of the Kingdom’s national and foreign policies, always reiterating that the Sahara, was Moroccan, is Moroccan, and will always remain Moroccan.
Constitution 2011
The constitution of 2011 is a renewed legal foundation for the Moroccan monarchy marked by a relative rebalancing of powers and the clarification and precision of several principles for a better interpretation of the Constitution’s provisions.
The new constitution, promulgated by Dahir no. 1-11-91 of July 30, 20112, draws most of its provisions from proposals put forward by political bodies, trade unions, associations, and youth organizations. It comprises 180 articles, compared with 108 in the 1996 constitution.
For several years, Morocco has been engaged in a dynamic process of economic, political, and institutional reform, and the adoption of the new Constitution in July 2011 has been accompanied by the reform process launched by His Majesty the King since his accession to the Throne on July 30, 1999.
As soon as the Sovereign acceded to the throne, the subject of constitutional revision came to the fore as one of the means of accompanying the reforms initiated and the political and economic changes that the Kingdom was undergoing.
In a context marked by the Arab Spring and the rising aspirations of the region’s youth, Morocco demonstrated its exceptionality by launching a whole process of reforms as bold as they were unprecedented, led by the opening of the project to revise the Fundamental Law.
Adopted on July 29, 2011, the Kingdom’s new supreme legal standard is based on three major pillars, as it broadens the scope of action of the Head of Government, reinforces the Sovereign’s powers of arbitration and influence, and provides for the establishment of independent bodies responsible for the protection and promotion of rights.
New Development Model (NDM)
His Majesty King Mohammed VI established the Special Commission on the Development Model (SCDM) in November 2019 and inaugurated a task of diagnostic and projection which is bold and straightforward and in line with the Nation’s Interests.
The New Development Model (NDM) is proposed by the Special Commission on the Development Model (SCDM) and it is based on interdependent and complementary components forming a coherent and integrated system that is capable of speeding up Morocco’s transition, and subsequently leading to a new balance of more economic, social and institutional value.
By 2035, the New Development Model (NDM) aims to achieve several interdependent and complementary development objectives, which will help build a more prosperous Morocco that creates wealth and quality jobs in keeping with its potential, a Morocco of skills and talents, where all citizens have the capacities and enjoy the well-being that enables them to take charge of their life project and contribute to the creation of value, a Morocco of inclusivity, which offers opportunities and protection to all and where social ties are strengthened, a Morocco of sustainability, where resources are preserved in all regions, and most importantly a daring Kingdom, open to the world and confident in its capacities as a regional leader.
The National Initiative for Human Development (INDH)
His Majesty King Mohammed VI launched on May 18, 2005, the National Initiative for Human Development (INDH), which celebrated this year its 18th anniversary.
The National Initiative for Human Development (INDH) aims to mobilize Morocco’s institutional and financial resources to improve living conditions among inhabitants and raise national social indicators, with social issues at the forefront of the Kingdom’s political priorities.
The ambitious goals and advantages of the National Initiative’s actions stem from its status as a long-term project that enjoys His Majesty the King’s High Solicitude.
Between 2019 and 2022, over 25,500 projects were carried out with an overall budget exceeding MAD 10 billion within the framework of this Initiative, which considerably strengthened its territorial presence and positioning as a key social actor and an initiator of innovative and impactful projects.
Thanks to its positive results in terms of health, education, and several other sectors, the National Initiative for Human Development (INDH) is determined to further support relevant sectoral departments in order to achieve inclusive human development for Morocco, under the Enlightened Leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may Allah assist Him.
Institutionalization of the Amazigh Language
The law formalizing the Amazigh Language has been constitutional since 2011 and passed in 2019. Since then, the Moroccan government has been committed to promoting the use of the Amazigh language in public administration.
The foundation of this decision was set by His Majesty King Mohammed VI who delivered a speech on October 17, 2001, in Ajdir, which outlined the guidelines for Morocco’s cultural policy vision, based on the recognition and promotion of cultural diversity, and the importance of Amazigh culture in this vision.
As a result, the Royal Institute for Amazigh culture was created per the Royal Dahir of October 17, 2001, with the aim of preserving, promoting, and developing the Amazigh language in its different dimensions.
Similarly, His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may Allah assist Him, declared, on May 3, the Amazigh New Year’s Day an official national holiday, similar to the first of Muharram of the Hijri year and the Gregorian calendar’s New Year’s Day.
This Royal initiative reflects the High solicitude that His Majesty the King attributes to the Amazigh, as a key element of the authentic Moroccan identity, rich in the plurality of its tributaries and common heritage to all Moroccans.
His Majesty the King’s High Initiative also falls within the framework of the Amazigh language’s constitutional consecration as an official language in Morocco, alongside Arabic.
Interfaith Dialogue and Religious Tolerance
His Majesty King Mohammed VI has always promoted interfaith dialogue, especially since religious tolerance has been one of the enduring hallmarks in the long and grand tradition of the Alaouite Throne.
As part of this Royal vision, the Inter-Parliamentary Union and the Moroccan Parliament (IPU) organized, last June in Marrakech, under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, the Parliamentary Conference on Interfaith Dialogue, which brought together parliamentarians, religious leaders, and representatives of civil society, who engaged in constructive dialogue and exchanged knowledge in an attempt to resolve the main problems preventing sustainable coexistence.
This testifies to His Majesty the King’s commitment to religious coexistence and moderation, as Morocco was among the pioneering countries to push for the establishment of international mechanisms, dedicated to both inter-civilizational dialogue and to countering terrorism, radicalism, and extremism.
The Sovereign’s efforts in support of coexistence can also be witnessed in the Royal Decision to restore synagogues and establish the first-ever university synagogue in the Arab world.
Countering Terrorism
His Majesty King Mohammed VI’s vision for the Kingdom also includes a strong commitment to countering terrorism and extreme violence, which is reflected in several projects and initiatives, such as Morocco’s decisive and effective contribution to the establishment and structuring of the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF), which the Kingdom co-chaired for three terms between 2015 and 2022.
As part of its efforts to counter terrorism, Morocco, under the Wise Leadership of His Majesty the King, inaugurated in 2021, in Rabat, the Office of the United Nations (UN) Program for Counter-Terrorism and Training in Africa, which offers capacity-building programs that match the priorities of African countries.
These programs, which are closely coordinated with the Moroccan security authorities, draw on Morocco’s experience in countering terrorism and the exchange of expertise with beneficiary countries, in line with High Royal Directives.
The Kingdom has also always been a strong advocate of strengthening institutional cooperation against terrorism, and it has launched, in collaboration with the United Nations (UN) Office for Counter-Terrorism, the Marrakech Platform for African Heads of Security and Counter-Terrorism Agencies.
Covid-19 Vaccination Campaign
Another success recorded under the reign of His Majesty King Mohammed VI is the launch of the national vaccination campaign in response to the widespread of the COVID-19 virus across the Kingdom’s regions.
The campaign, which was free of charge for all citizens, sought to immunize all sectors of the Moroccan population, to reduce and subsequently eliminate cases of contamination and death due to the epidemic, and to contain the spread of the virus, with a view to a gradual return to normal life, making Morocco the first African country to launch a vaccination campaign against the COVID-19 pandemic.
Thanks to His Majesty the King’s initiative and personal involvement, which resulted in Morocco’s successful participation in clinical trials, the Kingdom occupied an advanced position in the supply of the COVID-19 vaccine.
His Majesty the King instructed the relevant authorities to ensure the proper preparation and smooth running of this major national operation, in terms of health, logistics, and technical aspects.
The Sovereign also called for the mobilization of all services and departments concerned, particularly health personnel, territorial administration, and law enforcement agencies, as well as the necessary support of the Royal Armed Forces, in accordance with the missions entrusted to them by His Majesty King Mohammed VI, Supreme Commander and Chief of the General Staff of the Royal Armed Forces (FAR), in the fight against COVID-19.
HM King Mohammed VI’s Vision for Sports
Following the adoption of the new Constitution of 2011, Morocco enshrined the right to sport in its fundamental law as an absolute right of citizens, making it a tool for human development, inclusion, and social cohesion.
Under High Royal Instructions, the government has undertaken several projects to build stadiums in different Moroccan cities, which have earned Morocco the trust of international sporting institutions such as the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), which awarded the Kingdom the 2013, 2014 and 2022 Club World Cups, and Confederation of African Football (CAF), which awarded Morocco the 2015 African Cup of Nations (CAN).
His Majesty the King accords special attention to sports, which can be reflected through Mohammed VI Football Academy was inaugurated by His Majesty the King in 2009 to accommodate a maximum of sixty students between the ages of 12 and 18. This $ 16.8 million project was constructed on eighteen hectares of land and includes all necessary facilities for students to improve their football skills and work towards their education.
Several graduates of Mohammed VI Football Academy have gone beyond the national level, and are playing in major international clubs, for example, Nayef Aguerd who currently plays for West-Ham United, Youssef En-Nesyri the striker of Sevilla FC, Azzedine Ounahi who plays for Olympique de Marseille, and Hamza Mendyl with OH Leuven.
In addition, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) awarded, on March 13, His Majesty King Mohammed VI the President’s Outstanding Achievement Award 2022.
Renewable Energies
Under the leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, Morocco has adopted an ambitious energy strategy based on renewable energy, energy efficiency, and regional integration, which is founded on three objectives, which are sustainability, flexibility, and competitiveness.
The Kingdom is home to the largest concentrated solar plant in the world, the Noor Ouarzazate Solar Plant, which was inaugurated by His Majesty King in 2016.
The Noor solar power plant is the first of the country’s program for renewable energy, with the aim of contributing to the worldwide effort to reduce global warming.
The Noor Solar Plant aims to increase the Kingdom’s share of renewable energy sources up to 52% by 2030, reduce Morocco’s energy dependence and the negative impact of imported fossil fuels on the budget, promote the establishment of a national Moroccan solar energy industry, and further develop remote desert areas.
As host of the 22nd Session of the Conference of Parties of the United Nations (UN) Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP22) in Marrakech in November 2016, Morocco is setting an excellent example in the field of renewable energies and climate action.
The Kingdom’s strategy in terms of renewable energies aims to achieve a greater synergy between the relevant actors and define the means to raise renewable energy production targets, as part of a new, stronger, and sustainable ambition.
This is a global and integrated vision of the governance of the national energy sector which, per High Royal Instructions, enabled the process of managing renewable energies, in particular solar, wind, and hydroelectric, to be launched in 2015 by the Moroccan Agency for Sustainable Energy (MASEN).
The interest shown in the energy sector is also mirrored in the launch of the national program for the development of renewable energies, a major project established to enable Morocco to achieve a certain degree of energy autonomy, in line with the Royal Vision of promoting the Kingdom as a leader in this field.
Operation Marhaba
His Majesty King Mohammed VI’s Vision benefits all Moroccans, be it within the Kingdom or Abroad.
In 2001, Mohammed V Foundation for Solidarity launched Operation Marhaba to support Moroccans living abroad in their journey to return to their homeland.
Under High Royal Instructions, Operation Marhaba, activates annually a global reception system in Morocco, France, Italy, and Spain, comprising 24 assistance and support sites for members of the community, which remain operational for the entire duration of the operation.
This large-scale operation is an international model, both in terms of the resources mobilized and the measures taken to ensure that the large flow of people transiting to Morocco during the operation runs smoothly.
The promising results that Operation Marhaba achieves every year are the fruit of the effective mobilization of all parties concerned, particularly Mohammed V Foundation for Solidarity, which is mobilizing substantial resources to welcome, assist and accompany Moroccans residing abroad during this operation.
His Majesty King Mohammed VI’s solicitude for Moroccans living abroad goes beyond Operation Marhaba, as recently on July 18, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation, and Moroccan Expatriates, Nasser Bourita, affirmed the Kingdom’s commitment to preserving the rights of the Moroccan community abroad when concluding international agreements, adding that Morocco refuses to take any action that might undermine the rights of the Moroccan community abroad, which enjoys the special attention of His Majesty King Mohammed VI.
Royal Vision for Africa
Africa has always been prioritized in Morocco’s foreign policy, as the Kingdom constantly affirms an unwavering commitment to its African identity, setting the emergence and unity of the continent as a priority in line with the High Directives of His Majesty King Mohammed VI.
Under the Royal Vision of His Majesty King Mohammed VI for Africa, Morocco has concluded a large number of agreements within the framework of south-south cooperation. His Majesty the King also conducted numerous visits to different African sub-regions, to strengthen cooperation and fraternal ties.
The Sovereign’s most recent visit to an African country was in February, when His Majesty held talks with the Gabonese President, H.E. President Ali Bongo Ondimba, and donated over 2.000 tons of fertilizers to Gabonese farmers.
But His Majesty the King’s vision for Africa goes beyond visits, as the Sovereign initiated the Nigeria-Morocco gas pipeline project, which is expected to be the world’s longest offshore gas pipeline, stretching over 5.600 km across 11 African countries. This project is also one of the flagship projects linking the two countries through several West African countries.
Within the framework of south-south cooperation, His Majesty the King also established the Foundation for the Adaptation of African Agriculture to Climate Change, commonly known as the AAA Foundation, which aims to reduce the vulnerability of African agriculture to climate change.
As Commander of the Faithful, His Majesty the King established Mohammed VI Foundation of African Oulema, which serves as an institutional framework within which scholars are fully committed to the missions entrusted to them.
Morocco’s initiatives for joint African action, under the Wise Leadership of His Majesty the King, are also reflected in its strong presence in the organs of the pan-African organization, notably the Kingdom’s second three-year term in the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC) following the first one in 2018-2020.
His Majesty’s Support for the Palestinian Cause
In his capacity as Chairman of al-Quds Committee, His Majesty King Mohammed VI supervises the implementation of several projects for the benefit of the Holy City and its inhabitants.
Bayt Mal Al-Qods Acharif Agency, which is a social and humanitarian organization, affiliated with the al-Quds Committee, implements social projects in the city of Al-Quds to help protect the Holy City, preserve its religious heritage and civilization, and support its inhabitants.
The projects that the Agency undertakes include education, health, housing, culture, sport, women’s empowerment, youth, and childhood, in addition to social assistance programs for people with special needs.
Over the past 25 years, the Agency has carried out over 200 major projects, and dozens of small and medium-sized projects, with a budget of over $ 64 million, and it has become a benchmark for action in al-Quds, thanks to its vast expertise and the right mechanisms put in place to ensure that donations are properly directed to the projects concerned.
Bayt Mal Al-Quds Asharif Agency also established, on March 30, 2023, a unit for coordination and monitoring dedicated to emergency cases at Al Makassed Hospital in Al-Quds, under a cooperation protocol signed earlier in February between the Agency and several hospitals in Al-Quds.