Mohammed VI addressed the nation on the occasion of this celebration in the year that marks the twenty-first anniversary of his appointment as Alaouite monarch

La crisis de la COVID-19 marca el discurso del rey de Marruecos con motivo de la Fiesta del Trono

photo_camera PHOTO/MAP - The King of Morocco, Mohammed VI

The problem of the global health crisis of the COVID-19, which Morocco is fighting intensely with the imposition of firm measures to tackle it, and its socio-economic repercussions totally marked the speech made by King Mohammed VI on Wednesday on the occasion of Morocco's Throne Day in 2020, whose official events were suspended as a result of the pandemic.

The issue of the coronavirus was expected to dominate the words of the Alaouite monarch during this event and it did. "The attention I devote to the health of the Moroccan citizen and his family is exactly the same that I give to my children and my small family, particularly in these difficult circumstances that Morocco, like the whole world, is going through, because of the COVID-19 pandemic," he said. "If it is normal to feel some fear or concern in these cases, I must say that the decisive measures and decisions we have taken since the first cases of this epidemic appeared in Morocco have given us confidence and hope. They were difficult, and sometimes tough, decisions that we have not taken for pleasure, but forced by the need to protect citizens, and also by the national interest," said the Moroccan King. 

"In this context, I would like to convey my thanks and consideration to the various public authorities for having fulfilled their duty in the best possible way, in order to stop the spread of this pandemic," added the Moroccan monarch, who wanted to acknowledge the work done by different public servants in the country: "Specifically, I would like to mention the workers in the health sector, namely the medical and paramedical personnel, both civilian and military, as well as the elements of the Royal Armed Forces, the Royal Gendarmerie, elements and agents of the local authorities and all the bodies of the National Security, Auxiliary Forces and Civil Protection, in addition to the workers in the domain of production and distribution of food products and all those who have been in the front lines to deal with the pandemic. I am proud of the level of awareness and discipline, as well as the positive response that Moroccans and the various national forces have shown during this period, seriously and responsibly fulfilling their duty. "In the same vein, I would like to highlight the spirit of solidarity and responsibility shown by citizens, both individually and within the laudable initiatives of civil society actors, during the period of confinement," he added.

Mohammed VI outlined several of the measures taken by the North African state to deal with the difficult situation now caused by the spread of the coronavirus, aimed at alleviating the "negative effects generated by this crisis, not only with regard to health, but also in the areas of economy and society". "Its repercussions reached the different sectors of production, deeply affecting the income of families and also the state budget. That is why we created a special fund to deal with the health, economic and social consequences of this pandemic. We were very pleased to see that this initiative was received with spontaneous enthusiasm and permanent solidarity. This has made it possible to mobilize 33.7 billion dirhams. In this context, total expenditure has so far reached 24.65 billion dirhams, which has been allocated to financing social support measures and the purchase of necessary medical supplies. In addition, 5 billion dirhams will be allocated to the Central Guarantee Fund (CGC) as part of the revival of the economy," said Mohammed VI.

"We have guided the government to support the resilience of the affected sectors, preserving jobs and the purchasing power of households that have lost their sources of income," said the Moroccan monarch, who also warned of the "harsh" consequences to be faced in the near future. "The consequences of this health crisis are going to be very hard despite the efforts we are making to alleviate its severity," he said.

Mohammed VI called for "continued mobilisation, vigilance, solidarity and health measures" and urged "a plan to mobilise and prepare for a possible second wave of the pandemic, especially in the face of the observed relaxation". A relaxation of attitudes in part of the population which has led to a significant increase in cases, forcing the authorities to impose more restrictive measures, such as the closure of access between the main cities of Morocco (with the exception of Rabat). 

The main objective now is, in addition to tackling the pandemic, "to deal with its socio-economic repercussions, within the framework of a global prospective conception, drawing the lessons from this stage in order to take advantage of them," as the King of Morocco pointed out. 

"If this crisis has confirmed the strength of social ties and the spirit of solidarity among Moroccans, it has also revealed a number of shortcomings, especially in the social field, such as the size of the informal sector, the precariousness of social safety nets, especially for the most vulnerable sectors, and the dependence of a number of domains on external variations. For this reason, we must make this stage an opportunity to reorder priorities and build the foundations of a strong and competitive economy and a more inclusive social model. In this context, we are guiding the government and the various actors to focus on the challenges and priorities that this stage imposes," explained Mohammed VI.

The King of Morocco shed light on a series of strategies to be followed in the country to improve the current situation: "Firstly, it is a matter of launching an ambitious plan for economic revival, which will allow the productive sectors to recover their health and improve their capacities to generate jobs and preserve sources of income. This requires the mobilization of all available possibilities, such as financing, stimuli and solidarity measures to support businesses, especially SMEs, which are the backbone of the national economic fabric. In this context, nearly 120 billion dirhams will be injected into the national economy, or the equivalent of 11% of GDP, a rate that places Morocco among the countries that have dared most in the policy of economic recovery after the current crisis. We have also considered it appropriate to create a strategic investment fund, whose role would be to support productive activities, as well as to accompany and finance major investment projects between the public and private sectors, in the various domains. This fund is based on the State's contribution, and will coordinate and rationalize the financing funds".

The Alaouite monarch invited the government and the socio-economic actors to take part in this plan "with total effectiveness and responsibility", and "within the framework of a constructive national contract, which is up to the challenges of the moment and the expectations of Moroccans".

"On the other hand, the launch of an in-depth reform of the public sector must be accelerated, addressing the structural dysfunctions of enterprises and public bodies, in order to achieve the greatest complementarity and harmony in their functions, improving their economic and social efficiency. To this end, we invite the creation of a national agency in charge of the strategic management of the State's contributions, as well as of accompanying the services provided by public entities," he added. 

Mohammed VI referred to the concept of "social justice", which concerns the access of all Moroccans to social protection, which will remain the main concern, until it becomes widespread among all social sectors.

"In this regard, and on the occasion of the Speech from the Throne in 2018, he had invited to carry out, with due speed, the review of the social protection system, highlighting the dispersion and fragility that characterize it in terms of coverage and efficiency. We therefore believe that the time has come to launch a decisive operation aimed at generalizing social coverage to all Moroccans over the next five years. We invite this operation to be carried out gradually, starting in January 2021, in accordance with a precise work programme, starting with the generalisation of compulsory health cover and family benefits, before extending it to cover retirement and compensation for loss of employment," he explained.

"This project requires a real reform of the existing social systems and programmes, in order to improve their direct impact on the beneficiaries, especially through the implementation of the unified social registry. The generalization of social coverage must become a lever for the integration of the informal sector into the national economic fabric. For this reason, and as part of the consultation with social partners, we invite the Government to complete the configuration of a global practical vision, which includes the calendar of application, the legal framework and the financing options, capable of carrying out an effective generalization of social coverage. The realization of such a plan is subject to the adoption of good governance based on constructive social dialogue and the principles of impartiality, transparency, justice and equity," said the King of Morocco, as picked up by the MAP news agency.

Mohammed VI appealed to all national forces to adhere firmly to national efforts, which seek to overcome this stage and face its economic and social consequences. "In this sense, we must make the achievements made in this short period a decisive turn to strengthen the strengths expressed by Moroccans, accelerating the reforms that this stage requires and taking advantage of the opportunities it offers," he said. 

The Moroccan king's speech also referred to the coincidence of the celebration of this year's Feast of the Throne with the Feast of Sacrifice (Aid al-Adha), "with all that this represents as values of sacrifice and fidelity, it augurs well and instills optimism, within the heart of the clinging to our principles. "I am pleased to congratulate all Moroccans on these glorious anniversaries, renewing my affection and consideration for them, which only grows every day," he remarked.

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