His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist Him, accompanied by HRH Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan, HRH Prince Moulay Rachid and HH Prince Moulay Ahmed, chaired, on Friday in Rabat, the opening of the first session of the first legislative year of the 12th Legislature.
Upon His arrival at the Parliament headquarters, His Majesty the King greeted the national flag to the tune of the national anthem, before reviewing a detachment of the Royal Guard that paid the honors.
The Sovereign was then greeted by Mohamed Ould Errachid, Speaker of the House of Councillors, Mohammed Yacoubi, Wali of the Rabat-Salé-Kenitra Region and Governor of the Rabat Prefecture, as well as by the Secretaries-General of both Houses of Parliament.
Before reaching the official gallery, His Majesty the King waved to the enthusiastic crowd of citizens gathered below from the balcony of Parliament, who came to express their loyalty and devotion to the Sovereign’s August person and their unwavering attachment to the Glorious Alaouite Throne.
After reciting verses from the Holy Quran, HM the King delivered a speech before the members of both Houses of Parliament, in which the Sovereign affirmed that this legislative term is taking place at a very special time, offering unique opportunities to build upon the achievements made in various sectors.
In this regard, the Sovereign emphasized that the new legislative and governmental term must be a real turning point for Morocco’s ambition as a rising, dependable economic power, making sure to strike a balance between economic growth and greater social and territorial equity.
HM the King noted that Morocco is one of the world’s oldest nations, united under the banner of a venerable monarchy, one of the most ancient in history, adding that under the aegis of the Commandership of the Faithful, Moroccans can indeed be proud of "our distinctive cultural identity, which is enriched by its diverse components."
"I take pride in the political and diplomatic accomplishments we have made, as well as in our developmental, economic, and social achievements, which have transformed Morocco," His Majesty the King added.
The Sovereign noted that, in a world characterized by rapidly accelerating geo-economic shifts, Morocco - guided by a clear vision - has embarked on a new wave of reforms and major projects, noting that today, in addition to accelerating the implementation of planned infrastructure projects, we must launch a new generation of major strategies, particularly in the fields of water, energy, and food security, industrial takeoff, the digital economy, and artificial intelligence.
His Majesty the King then reiterated His call to accelerate the development of the Kingdom's capabilities in the field of strategic reserves and to secure the supply of basic commodities.
In this regard, the Sovereign urged the private sector to step up and become a strategic player in the Kingdom's development transformation, as well as to show greater initiative and a keener innovative spirit, and to increase its capacity to create jobs, invest, and export, noting that youth issues are at the forefront of public policies and of the agenda of governance bodies.
In His speech, HM the King also maintained that the real challenge for the coming period lies in fieldwork, at the local level, to identify the actual problems facing each region and come up with realistic solutions to them, pointing out that the delays and deficiencies that continue to hinder the implementation of decentralization and administrative de-concentration are adversely affecting economic and social development programs and are impeding the response to citizens' real concerns.
In this respect, the Sovereign strongly underlined that "any further delay or procrastination in the full implementation of the de-concentration charter is unacceptable. The reference here is to the required transfer of competencies, and of the necessary human and financial resources, from the central government to the provinces and regions."
His Majesty the King also highlighted that Morocco has succeeded in consolidating its international standing as a responsible and reliable partner committed to fulfilling its obligations, and accordingly, is within its right to expect the same from its partners, noting that "the balanced approach adopted by our country to manage the migration phenomenon has produced tangible results."
"However, we must acknowledge, with all due courage and objectivity, that the current cooperation model in this area has become outdated. The recurring crises are a clear testimony to this," the Sovereign added, pointing out that "this applies to our neighbor, Spain. Our partnership with that country has witnessed significant developments in various sectors, including the fight against illegal migration."
Nonetheless, this cooperation is currently facing significant challenges stemming from some obsolete legal provisions and unrealistic judicial rulings, HM the King deplored, adding that these are regrettably impeding the repatriation of minors and of fake asylum seekers, while fueling the greed of criminal networks.
In this respect, His Majesty the King maintained that "considering the irresponsible statements and the blatant exploitation of the issue by some political and media circles, I wish to point out that this partnership is a sovereign choice and a voluntary commitment. It will never be subject to any pressure, threat, or blackmail."
In that sense, the Sovereign stated that "Morocco will present a document to its partners setting out a clear and practical strategic vision that paves the way for a new direction which promotes shared development, economic competitiveness, and regional stability."
Subsequently, His Majesty the King, accompanied by HRH Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan, HRH Prince Moulay Rachid, and HH Prince Moulay Ahmed, received Mohamed Ould Errachid, who presented the Sovereign with several publications detailing the work of the House of Councillors for the 2025-2026 legislative year.
His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God glorify Him, accompanied by HRH Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan, HRH Prince Moulay Rachid, and HH Prince Moulay Ahmed, also received Mustapha Baitas, Minister Delegate to the Head of Government in charge of Relations with Parliament, Government Spokesperson, who presented to His Majesty the King a report on the government’s activities regarding its relations with Parliament for the 5th legislative year of the 11th Legislature.
His Majesty the King then chaired a reception held in honor of the members of the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors on the occasion of the opening of the first session of the first legislative year of the 12th Legislature.
MAP: 09 October 2026
