The 18th Anniversary of the Throne Day.
HM the King: Morocco is Constantly Developing, However it Witnesses Glaring Paradoxes that Are 'Hard to Understand or Accept'
Morocco is constantly developing, however it witnesses glaring paradoxes that are "hard to understand or accept," said HM King Mohammed VI in His Speech on Saturday to the Nation, on the occasion of the 18th anniversary of the Throne Day.
“Morocco has been constantly developing, by the grace of the Almighty. Progress is clear and real; it is recognized across the board and in all sectors,” HM the King said, adding that “however, we are witnessing glaring paradoxes that are hard to understand or accept.”
In fact, on the one hand, Morocco enjoys “indisputable credibility at continental and international levels, the esteem and consideration of our partners and the confidence of major investors, such as the Boeing, Renault and Peugeot groups,” the Sovereign said, noting that “on the other hand, we are shocked by the end results, the facts on the ground and the modest achievements made in certain social sectors, so much so that it is shameful to admit we are actually talking about present-day Morocco.”
“While it is true that our action, through a number of sectoral plans - like those relating to agriculture, industry and renewable energy - has been successful, human and local development programs, which have a positive impact on citizens’ living conditions, do us no credit, nor do they match our ambitions,” HM the King said.
In this regard, the Sovereign noted that “in many sectors, this is mostly due to the inadequacy of joint action, the lack of a national, strategic dimension, inconsistency instead of harmony, disparagement and procrastination instead of entrepreneurship and concrete action.”
For HM the King, “these paradoxes are even more acute when we compare the private sector - which is efficient and competitive, and which is built on a governance model that has incentives, as well as follow-up and monitoring mechanisms - to the public sector, particularly our civil service, which is suffering from poor governance and weak performance.”
The private sector, the Sovereign noted, “is attracting the best human resources that are trained in our country. They are involved in the management of major international groups in Morocco as well as small and medium-sized Moroccan enterprises,” adding that “as for civil servants, many of them do not have the skills, qualifications or ambition required; moreover, they are not always guided by a sense of responsibility.”
“Some of them report to work for only short periods of time, preferring to settle for modest - but guaranteed - pay, instead of working hard to improve their social conditions,” the Sovereign lamented, adding that “one of the problems which impede Morocco’s progress is the weakness of the civil service, be it in terms of governance, efficiency or the quality of the services provided to citizens.”
In this regard, HM the King cited, by way of example, “the regional investment centers - with the exception of one or two - are a problem. They impede the act of investing instead of serving as a mechanism that provides incentives and resolves the problems of investors at the regional level, without their having to go to central government departments.”
This has an adverse impact on regions that are suffering from shortage of health, education and cultural services, not to mention the lack of jobs, the Sovereign noted, stressing the need for greater cooperative efforts to close gaps and help these regions catch up with the others.
Conversely, regions with a vibrant private sector, like Casablanca, Rabat, Marrakech and Tangier, are enjoying strong economic dynamism which creates wealth as well as jobs, HM the King said.
“To put an end to this situation, governors, caids, directors, staff members, local officials, etc. should work hard, just like staff in the private sector - or even harder. They should show a sense of responsibility that does credit to the civil service and yields concrete results since these officials are entrusted with serving citizens’ interests,” the Sovereign noted.
HM the King added that “the development projects and the political and institutional reforms carried out target a single goal: to serve citizens, wherever they may be. There is no difference between north and south, east and west, urban and rural areas.”
“It is true that Morocco’s resources are limited. It is also a fact that many regions need more basic social services,” the Sovereign underlined.
MAP 29 July 2017
Moroccan Institutional Model is Advanced Political System but It is Not Properly Applied, Royal Speech
The Moroccan institutional model is an advanced political system, nevertheless, for the most part, it is not properly applied, HM King Mohammed VI deplored in his speech delivered on Saturday to the Nation on the occasion of the Throne Day.
The Moroccan institutional model is an advanced political system, nevertheless, for the most part, it is not properly applied. The problem concerns actual implementation on the ground, the sovereign said, underlining his keenness to respecting the prerogatives of institutions as well as the separation of powers.
"However, if officials fail to discharge their duties, and the interests of the homeland and of citizens are jeopardized, it is incumbent upon me, as per the Constitution, to ensure the country's security and stability and to safeguard people’s interests as well as their rights and freedoms," HM the King said, warning that he will not accept any backtracking on democratic achievements, nor tolerate any obstruction as far as the work of institutions is concerned.
Both the Constitution and the law are quite clear, and powers need no explanation, the monarch noted.
Officials must exercise their prerogatives without waiting for someone's permission. And instead of repeating the same excuse - namely 'I am being prevented from doing my job’ - it is better for them to offer their resignation, which nobody would reject, the sovereign underscored.
Morocco must come first: before political parties, before elections and before senior positions, HM the King affirmed.
"Until my very last breath, I will always take pride in serving you, for I was brought up to love our motherland and to serve its sons and daughters," HM the King said, promising to keep up his earnest endeavors and seek to meet people's expectations so that their aspirations may be fulfilled.
The question of the Moroccan Sahara is not open for discussion, and, of course, it remains a top priority, the sovereign said, reiterating his attachment to achieving, in all regions of the Kingdom, a new a march for the achievement of human and social development; a march for equality and social justice for all Moroccans.
"Such a major endeavor cannot be carried out in one region and not in the others," the sovereign noted.
"One may come up with the most efficient development model and the best plans and strategies but, without a change in mentality; without having the best civil servants; without the political parties choosing the best elites that are qualified to run public affairs; without a sense of responsibility and national commitment; one would not be able to offer all Moroccans the free, dignified life one wants them to have," the sovereign stressed.
Despite these observations, HM the King said he does not want citizens to think, after listening to this address, "that I am being pessimistic, far from it! You know that I am a realist. I tell the truth, painful though it may be. Pessimism is the lack of will, the absence of a forward-looking vision and the inability to see things as they are", adding that "our resolve is both firm and sincere, and we also have a clear, long-term vision. We know who we are and where we are heading."
Throughout the centuries, and by the Grace of the Almighty, Morocco has managed to survive countless hardships, thanks to the close, symbiotic relationship between the Throne and the people. And here we are today, forging ahead and making progress, together, in various sectors. We confidently and resolutely look forward to making more achievements, HM the King concluded.
MAP 29 July 2017