Throne Day: Moroccan King Pledges to Consolidate Socio-Economic Gains

Rabat: His Majesty King Mohammed VI has affirmed his commitment to consolidating the socio-economic boom and building a competitive, more diversified, and more open economy, within a healthy and stable macroeconomic framework. Delivering a speech on the occasion of the 26th anniversary of the Sovereign's accession to the Throne of His Glorious Ancestors, King Mohammed VI also pledged to improve the living conditions of citizens, regardless of their social background or region.According to Ghana News Agency, the Throne Day, an annual event, provided an opportunity for the King to take stock of the state of the nation, reviewing achievements and summarising projects and challenges. In his speech, the Sovereign highlighted that since his accession to the Throne, he had worked to build advanced, united, and supportive Morocco, both through the promotion of comprehensive economic and human development and through a firm commitment to strengthening the Kingdom's position among emerging nations.Morocco's achieve ments, as stated by the Sovereign, stem from a long-term vision, reflecting the relevance of the major development choices made. They have also been fostered by the climate of security and political and institutional stability enjoyed by Morocco. Building on this solid foundation, and in line with the New Development Model, HM the King said despite successive years of drought and the exacerbation of international crises, the national economy had maintained a significant and steady growth rate in recent years.Furthermore, Morocco is experiencing an unprecedented industrial revival: industrial exports, particularly those related to global industries, have more than doubled since 2014. Thanks to the strategic directions Morocco has set for itself, the automotive, aeronautics, renewable energy, agri-food, and tourism sectors now constitute a key lever for the Kingdom's economic emergence, both in terms of investment and job creation. Today, Morocco also boasts modern, robust infrastructure that meets global sta ndards.To consolidate this infrastructure, the Sovereign recalled the launch of work to extend the high-speed rail line linking Kenitra to Marrakech, as well as a series of major projects in the areas of the country's water and food security and energy sovereignty. His Majesty has always placed a particular emphasis on promoting human development, particularly through the widespread implementation of social protection and the provision of direct assistance to eligible households.The results of the 2024 General Population and Housing Census highlighted a series of demographic, social, and spatial transformations that must be taken into account in the development and implementation of public policies. For example, the level of multidimensional poverty has declined significantly nationwide, from 11.9% in 2014 to 6.8% in 2024. Moreover, Morocco surpassed the Human Development Index (HDI) threshold this year, ranking it among the 'high human development' countries.The Sovereign also indicated that it was tim e to initiate a real leap forward in the overall upgrading of territorial spaces and in bridging social and spatial disparities. To this end, he made an impassioned call to move from the traditional frameworks of social development to an approach based on integrated territorial development. 'The fruits of development must benefit all citizens,' he said, and that the government was guided to develop a new generation of territorial development programmes based on the promotion of local specificities, the consolidation of advanced regionalization, and the principle of complementarity and solidarity between territorial entities.Touching on Morocco-Algeria Relations, King reiterated the Kingdom's commitment to remaining open to its regional environment, and more particularly to its immediate neighborhood with the brotherly Algerian people. In his capacity as King of Morocco, the Sovereign reiterated his clear and consistent position, considering the Algerian people as a brotherly people bound by centuries-old hu man and historical ties to the Moroccan people, particularly through language, religion, geography, and shared destiny.For all these considerations, HM the King recalled that he has constantly extended a helping hand to his brothers in Algeria. He also expressed Morocco's willingness to engage in frank and responsible dialogue; a fraternal and sincere dialogue addressing the various outstanding issues between the two countries. 'Our unwavering commitment to the policy of extending a helping hand to our brothers in Algeria stems from our deep conviction regarding the unity of our peoples and our shared ability to overcome this regrettable situation,' he affirmed.The Sovereign also reaffirmed the Kingdom's commitment to the Maghreb Union, which 'we are convinced cannot be achieved without the joint involvement of Morocco and Algeria, alongside other sister states.' Regarding the Moroccan Sahara, the Sovereign expressed his pride in the growing international support for the Autonomy Proposal, considered the only solution to the conflict over the Moroccan Sahara.In this regard, His Majesty expressed his thanks and appreciation to the United Kingdom, and the Portuguese Republic for their constructive positions in support of the Autonomy Proposal, within the framework of Morocco's sovereignty over its Sahara and strengthening those of many countries around the world. He added that 'These positions, which favour the rule of law and legitimacy, inspire honour and pride in us. They further encourage us to seek a consensual solution that saves face for all parties, where there will be neither winner nor loser.'