The Royal Forums - Fête du Trône: 2004-2020

I just love KM6 speeches, quick post I have to run :flower:

Full Speech of HM the King on the occasion of the Throne Day

RABAT, July 30 - Here is the full text of the State to the Nation Address by HM King Mohammed VI of Morocco on the occasion of the Throne Day, marking the fifth anniversary of his enthronement.

Praise be to God

Peace and blessings be upon the Prophet, His Kith and Kin

My loyal subjects,

For this year’s commemoration, marking the fifth anniversary of my
accession to the throne and of the beginning of the sacred mission
entrusted to me, I have decided that the State of the Nation Address
should not consist of a mere listing of achievements, important though
they may be. Rather, I want to avail myself of this opportunity to
share with you a vision for the future; one which is likely to help us
forge ahead with our strategic plan for building a unified,
open-minded, democratic and prosperous society, based on solidarity.

We want Morocco to be in step with the requirements of modern times,
to do everything it can to bring prosperity to its citizens. We want
our country to remain a trustworthy neighbour and partner, and to
contribute effectively to peace and security, in our region and
throughout the world.

Achieving such a noble objective requires a time-frame that exceeds a
government’s or an assembly’s term of office, which is determined by
specific constitutional or political constraints. It also calls for
rational planning and major programs, which take into account both the
priorities involved and the means available.

Since acceding to the throne, and in keeping with our mutual
commitment, as per the indissoluble pact of the Bei’a, I have sought
to outline my project for the democratization and development of the
country, leaving it up to the constitutional institutions, the
political parties and the nation’s resources to implement these
guidelines in the field, through specific programs with clearly
defined objectives, financing, means of assessment and schedules.

From now until 2010, the year which coincides with several important
deadlines, efforts should focus on seven main axes: reaching a final
settlement of the Sahara issue; consolidating the democratic
transition and ensuring its success; fostering the principles of
responsible citizenship - through completion of the education and
training charter and reform in the religious and cultural domains;
drawing up a new social contract; promoting rural development and the
agricultural sector; building a modern, productive and competitive
economy based on solidarity, to face the challenge of globalization
and free trade; and, finally, enhancing the status of our country as
an effective regional and international player, in a fast-changing
world.

My loyal subjects,

Morocco’s top priority is to find a mutually acceptable, final
political solution to the artificial dispute over our Sahara. Working
together with the United Nations, the neighbouring countries and the
Kingdom’s partners, we will spare no effort to achieve this objective,
by granting extensive prerogatives to our Saharan provinces for the
democratic management of their regional affairs, within the framework
of the Kingdom’s sovereignty, national unity, territorial integrity
and sacred, immutable values. Such a political solution is to be
perceived from a geo-strategic and economic perspective. It will
reinstate the southern region in its historical role as a key area for
trade and the development of human relations, in a climate of concord
and security. The aim is to serve the people of the region as well as
all our neighbours and partners, bringing shared prosperity to all,
through economic integration in the Maghreb. This integration is,
indeed, the best means of achieving stability, security and prosperity
in the region.

Opting for this solution reflects our keen desire to protect and
further expand the current democratic transition, making it an
irreversible choice. Designed to foster modern democratic rule, this
transition is an ongoing project which has led to significant
achievements, such as the organization of free, credible elections,
the extension of public liberties, the modernization of the judiciary
and the enhancement of its autonomy, the improvement in women’s
status, the adoption of a modern family code, in addition to other
major institutional reforms.

Given that the success of any reform hinges on the upgrading of
institutions and the proper training of the actors involved, a law on
political parties should be drafted, following a process of dialogue
and consultation. Such legislation would enable political parties to
fulfil their constitutional role, with respect to representing and
guiding citizens, as well as training the elite for participation in
democratic rule and to serve public interest. Political parties would
thus form an important link between the state and the citizens and
support the initiatives of civil society in the field. I am
determined to see that political institutions are strengthened and
their action rehabilitated, so that a political landscape with
distinct political forces who have clearly-defined platforms may
emerge. The question, therefore is: Are we going to wait until the eve
of the 2007 elections, only to reach an improvised, artificial
consensus, which might increase the balkanization of the country’s
political map? Certainly not! I urge politicians to face up to their
responsibilities and make 2007 a political watershed, thereby giving
fresh, qualitative impetus to the democratic process under way. This
should bring about a new political landscape, allowing for the
emergence of a close-knit majority group and a constructive
opposition, alternating at the helm and vying for the exercise of
power, as a result of the electorate’s verdict and thanks to a
political elite in step with modern times. This elite should not act
solely on the basis of ideology, whether right-wing or left-wing, but
rather make the sound management of public affairs the true test of
the relevance of their political action.

Political reform will not be complete without a comprehensive reform
of the information sector, in view of the intrinsic link between the
two spheres in achieving the democratization of the state and society.
I am therefore keen to ensure that the basic reforms concerning the
national information sector are carried through, including enactment
of a law on public opinion polls. I also expect government
authorities to help with the emergence of free, responsible
professional information institutions. Consultations should be held -
and contracts signed - with the various parties concerned, so that the
press may have a professional association which represents it and acts
as a regulator, ensuring compliance with ethics, to protect the
information sector against any practices which might undermine its
noble mission.

Institutional reform, as I see it, is meant to rationalize and revamp
institutions in order to consolidate the foundations of the country as
a modern state, to implant the culture of responsible citizenship, in
which human rights and obligations go hand in hand, and to provide for
their protection against abuse.

However, responsible citizenship must be based on three complementary
pillars, namely a tolerant faith, an open-minded culture, and a sound
education.

Today, we are half-way through the implementation of the national
education and training reform. We have launched important projects
and made substantial progress in this complex field. The five
remaining years must be devoted to redressing whatever shortcomings
have hindered reform in this vital domain, using all the resources
needed to forge ahead with the educational system’s qualitative -- and
not merely quantitative – reform, thereby giving the school its
rightful position in society. I have therefore decided to set up the
Higher Council for Education, which will act as the specialized
representative institution provided for in the Constitution. The
Council will serve as a permanent, impartial body, to be entrusted
with making proposals and undertaking assessments with a view to
achieving steady, in-depth reform of the education system. I should
like, in this respect, to pay tribute to the National Committee for
Education and Training for the outstanding work it has carried out
with such dedication and wisdom, in this highly important field. I
expect the Council to pursue this committed action to give such vital
reform new momentum, put it on the right track and enable it to pick
up speed.

I am just as determined to achieve optimal reform in the religious
domain so as to uphold the values and tenets of the generous, tolerant
Islamic faith and preserve the unity of the Maliki rite, by adopting
an open-minded form of Ijtihad, which is consistent with modern times,
in order to protect our youth against foreign, destructive trends.
The aim is not merely to ensure that reform in this domain is
complementary to the action undertaken in the educational and cultural
fields, for the reform policy should also include the political
sector, where differences of opinion are expressed freely. This is
why religion and politics should be kept apart, since religion
concerns sacred tenets which must be shielded from any dissension or
disagreement.

It is, therefore, necessary to guard against any use of
religion for political purposes. Under the Kingdom’s constitutional
monarchy, religion and politics come together only in the person of
the King, Commander of the Faithful. In fulfilling the sacred mission
with which I am entrusted, I am determined to ensure politics is
practised by the relevant institutions and within the bounds set for
it. Similarly, I shall see to it that religious matters are dealt
with by the relevant councils and institutions, and that religion is
practised in mosques and other appropriate places of worship, in
strict compliance with freedom of worship, of which I am the
guarantor.

At the same time, I would like culture to be given its rightful place
as a basic component of our strategic policy. I want Morocco to have
a meaningful cultural project, in an environment characterized by
freedom and conducive to innovation, creativity as well as effective
cultural interaction at regional, national and international levels.
In this day and age, in which stability and democratic rule are
powerful incentives for investment, we must make the most of our
achievements in these fields to ensure sustainable development at a
faster pace.

I am keen, in this respect, to preserve the stability of the
country’s macroeconomic indicators in order to bolster Morocco’s
credibility and the trust placed in our country by international
financial institutions and foreign investors, despite an unfavourable
international situation. I am just as determined to continue devoting
special attention to social affairs and the need to pool national
resources to finance development projects, following the example of
the Hassan II Fund, while highlighting Morocco’s attractiveness and
the advantages it offers investors.

Basic infrastructure is a requisite for modernizing the economy and
for promoting economic development, fruitful partnership, free trade
and cultural interaction. Therefore, in order to implement our
strategic project, we need to step up the completion of basic
infrastructure programs, above all the road network, to improve access
to rural areas and to carry through the ambitious national freeway
program, especially the north-south road link between Tangiers and
Agadir, via Marrakesh, and the northwest-northeast link between Fez
and Oujda, via Taza.

I am particularly pleased with the progress being made in the
implementation of the Tangiers-Mediterranean mega-project which is,
indeed, a model to be followed. I would like all regions of the
Kingdom to make optimal use of their tremendous resources to achieve
regional development and integration into the nation’s economy. This
would further enhance ties with the Euro-Mediterranean area and with
the Maghreb, African and Arab regions, making our country a regional
hub and an effective partner in international trade, fully integrated
into the global economy.

This is the plan of action we have mapped out to build an economic
system which generates wealth and provides jobs for our youth. We
want to use our natural and cultural resources as levers to promote
tourism, which is one of the mainstays of development and openness.
It is a fact that rural areas suffer the most from shortcomings in
social services. Consequently, our economy cannot be upgraded without
an effective strategy for the development of rural areas, which is
capable of transforming traditional farming into a modern, productive
agricultural system. To attain this objective, we need a new
agricultural policy which makes the most of our assets and existing
infrastructure, while ensuring that the soil in each region is used to
its best advantage. The aim is to increase agricultural production and
develop the type of agribusiness which is best-suited to the region’s
natural resources, taking into account environmental constraints,
including scarce water resources and desertification.

The reform of the public sector will continue to be a top priority.
Despite the progress made, this sector still does not come up to
citizens’ expectations, and our tremendous resources are still not
being used in an optimal way. We must, therefore, reform the
management of public affairs, and modernize and decentralize
government institutions, through an ambitious plan designed to upgrade
the public sector. The civil service should be composed of skilled
human resources, whose management should be based on merit,
competitiveness and motivation. At the same time, public spending
must be rationalized and professional integrity ensured.

Economic take-off cannot be achieved without a healthy social climate
which encourages investment and creates jobs. I am therefore calling
for a new social contract to be agreed upon by government authorities
together with the social partners concerned. This contract should be
in the form of a charter, and should be based on several
interdependent measures, including a commitment to social stability,
broader reform of labour regulations, particularly with regard to the
right to strike, so as to guard against any abuse thereof and to
protect the economy from wildcat strikes and their negative impact on
investment. Efforts must also be made to improve and expand social
security and medical cover insurance, to fight poverty and all forms
of social exclusion, to kindle the spirit of solidarity, and to see
prompt action is taken to save retirement schemes before it is too
late. Furthermore, appropriate measures must be taken to ensure a
life of dignity, by seeing that citizens are provided with decent
housing and that shanty-towns and substandard dwellings are
eradicated, in accordance with the instructions I have issued in this
regard.

Since acceding to the throne, I have called for a new immigration
policy, given that our project to build a prosperous society concerns
all Moroccans wherever they may be, and not least our fellow-citizens
living abroad. It needs to be a policy which is better-suited to the
sweeping changes affecting our expatriate community, one which fulfils
the aspirations of the various generations of Moroccan emigrants,
enabling them to participate in the country’s development and
modernization and to enhance Morocco’s influence abroad. It should be
a comprehensive, multi-faceted policy, including the institutional,
diplomatic, economic, social and cultural aspects. Based on a
homogeneous, cooperative effort by all the institutions concerned, it
should offer Moroccans living abroad a variety of ways to participate
in the different sectors of public life. In this respect, we are
currently looking into the best ways and means to achieve effective,
credible participation of Moroccans living abroad in all institutions
and forums devoted to building a prosperous, democratic society. I
intend to make sure such an objective is achieved through fruitful
consultation. I am also keen to see to it that the conditions of
Moroccans living abroad, a community so dear to me, are improved.

Solidarity among all Moroccans, inside as well as outside the
homeland, should be enhanced by means of a comprehensive approach, so
that each one can serve his country, especially as our society, which
needs the contribution of all citizens, remains a model in terms of
commitment to the Islamic and universal values of brotherhood,
tolerance and moderation. I am sure Moroccans living abroad will
continue to provide the best example of constructive interaction
between different cultures and civilizations.

My loyal subjects,

There is no better way for us to achieve our main goals than through
good governance, in which our domestic policy - which is based on
mobilization of our indigenous resources - combines with a foreign
policy, which is capable of interacting positively with a
rapidly-changing international environment. This requires us to use
our democratic achievements as best we can, as well as Morocco’s
cultural heritage and exceptional geo-strategic position, which make
our country a credible international partner and an important regional
player working to foster neighbourly relations and enhance the values
of moderation and tolerance. That is why I want to explain my
conception of effective diplomacy, official and unofficial which,
based on the economy and global security, operates within the three
‘concentric circles’ of neighbourliness, solidarity and partnership.
It is restructured diplomacy committed to dialogue and to
international legality, which are effective means of checking hatred,
extremism, terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass
destruction, wherever they are. Such diplomacy also aims at
supporting the countries of the South in their efforts to achieve
sustainable development through regional integration. It is also
aimed at ensuring active participation in globalization with a human
face, in addition to contributing to the advent of a more balanced,
equitable international order.

As regards relations with neighbouring countries, I would like to
reiterate my firm intention to give them fresh impetus, especially
those with Algeria, by rekindling them and clearing the air between
the two countries, in order to fulfil our peoples’ aspirations for a
future characterized by solidarity and fraternal ties. I am just as
keen to see to it that our special relations with Mauritania - to
which I attach particular importance - are further developed. I am
also anxious to continue working closely with Tunisia and Libya to
reactivate the Maghreb Union, in a framework of transparency,
dedication, mutual interest, and respect for member states’
sovereignty and territorial integrity. This should turn the Union
into an area where democracy, progress, stability and prosperity
prevail, and make it a strategic negotiating bloc, not only in the
Euro-Mediterranean region, but also in its relations with regional and
international groupings.

I have been just as determined to ensure that Africa remains at the
very centre of our foreign policy, and that our relations with all
African countries, particularly the least developed ones, are further
strengthened. Morocco seeks to contribute to the success of the NEPAD
initiative and will continue to participate in United Nations
peace-keeping operations to preserve security and stability in the
Sahel region and throughout Africa.

West Africa and the Sahel being a natural extension of the Moroccan
border region, I was keen to highlight - during my recent visit to
five countries in the area - the special place this part of the world
holds in our strategic policy, given the time-honoured cultural bonds
between us. We seek to strengthen our ties with the countries in the
region through further cooperation, complementary economic policies
and effective solidarity in order to face up to the perils which
threaten their security and stability.

I would also like to say how satisfied we are with the development of
Morocco’s strategic, multi-faceted relations with its European
neighbours. We are delighted with our longstanding, ever-developing
model partnership with France, and are keen to open a new chapter in
our relations with the Kingdom of Spain, with whom we share a rich
historical and cultural heritage which should provide a solid base for
exceptional strategic relations between two countries bound by
partnership and good neighbourliness. It is also pleasing to note the
qualitative development of our relations with the other European
countries, which are based on a policy that takes into account
geographic proximity as well as historical links with countries of the
European Union, with whom Morocco shares the same concerns as regards
preservation of peace, security and stability and the achievement of
development for all.

I believe that in order to give concrete
substance to such concepts as good neighbourliness and shared destiny,
our partnership must be given an advanced status, in line with EU
policy. Such a status would do justice to Morocco, given the efforts
made in the areas of economic reform and democracy. The human and
cultural dimension of our relations with Europe and other partners
must also be kept in mind, particularly because of the Moroccan
community abroad, who can be assured of all my care and affection.
Our country will continue to fulfil its role in the defence of Arab
and Islamic countries’ main causes and interests, favouring dialogue
and negotiation over confrontation and violence. In this connection,
Israel must withdraw from all occupied Arab territories. There should
also be immediate implementation of the road map as a step towards a
just, lasting and comprehensive peace, which preserves the rights of
all peoples in the region - including the Iraqi people – to freedom,
stability and prosperity, and which allows for the establishment of a
viable Palestinian state, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital,
living side by side with Israel. As chairman of the Al-Quds
Committee, I will pursue my relentless action to safeguard the
identity of this wounded city, as both the cradle of civilizations and
symbol of coexistence and tolerance between the revealed religions. I
also wish to emphasize the need to consolidate Arab-Islamic solidarity
and modernize the institutions and mechanisms of Arab-Islamic action
so that it may contribute to the democratic development and economic
integration we yearn for.

Our policy, based on partnership, free trade and preferential
agreements, which is designed to upgrade the country’s economy and
confirm its basic strategic choices, illustrates Morocco’s open-minded
attitude towards globalization. We are delighted with our strategic
partnership with the United States of America and with the European
Union and are particularly keen to consolidate and diversify our
partnership relations to include - in addition to our partners as per
the Agadir Declaration - other friendly nations, such as Russia,
China, India, Canada and Japan, with whom we enjoy longstanding
relations, based on mutual esteem and common interests.

Having always managed to overcome the greatest of difficulties in the
past, Morocco will, I am sure, be able to mobilize its resources to
meet current challenges, in perfect symbiosis with the Throne; I
intend to continue following in the footsteps of my revered
grandfather and father, His Majesty King Mohammed V and His Majesty
King Hassan II, may God bless their souls and reward them for their
lofty action in building a free, democratic, unified and prosperous
country. I also pray that our martyrs, who sacrificed their lives for
the sake of the nation’s freedom, unity and sovereignty, rest in
peace.

Furthermore, I want to pay tribute to the Royal Armed Forces, the
Royal Gendarmerie, the National Police Force, the Auxiliary Forces and
the Emergency Services, especially our forces who are mobilized in our
Southern provinces and who, under my supervision, are defending the
nation’s territorial integrity. I am indeed determined to see to it
that our security forces get all the legal, material and human
resources needed to carry out their mission to preserve the country's
security and stability, effectively and within the rule of law.
Your First Servant pledges before God and the Moroccan people to
continue to safeguard the country’s sacred and immutable values.
Spurred on by unwavering faith in my country and by strong
determination to shape its future, I shall pursue my action to
implement our strategic project.

I consider the democratic transition to be instrumental in achieving
economic take-off, aided by strong, sustained growth, in a balanced
society built on solidarity. People from all social strata,
especially the middle-class, must play an effective role in fostering
resourcefulness as well as the spirit of initiative and responsible
citizenship. I pray that Almighty God give me strength and help me
display wisdom and resolve as I take you along this uphill path.

“Say: this is my way; I call on Allah with sure knowledge, I and
whosoever follows me”. The Word of God is Truth.

Wassalamu alaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh.