Delegation of the House of Representatives Takes Part in Sixth Session of the Permanent Morocco-Quebec Inter-Parliamentary Committee

The House of Representatives took part in the sixth Session of the Permanent Morocco-Quebec Inter-Parliamentary Committee, which began its work on September 14, 2023 at the seat of the National Assembly of Quebec.

Led by Rep. Hassan Benomar, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Moroccan parliamentary delegation is composed of Rep. Thami Ouazzani Touhami (Group of the National Rally of Independents), Rep. Aziz Lebbar (Group of Authenticity and Modernity), Rep. Ismail Bekkali (Istiqlali Group of Unity and Egalitarianism), Rep. Seloua Demnati (Socialist Group – Ittihadi Opposition), Rep. Ibrahim Ouâaba (Haraki Group), Rep. Belassal Chaoui (Constitutional, Democratic and Social Group), Rep. Nadia Touhami (Group of Progress and Socialism), and Rep. Mostafa Brahimi (Parliamentary Caucus of Justice and Development).

At the start of this session, the members of the Moroccan parliamentary delegation attended the oral question sitting at the National Assembly, during which a minute's silence was observed in memory of the victims of the earthquake that struck Morocco at the end of last week. On the same occasion, the members of the Quebec Parliament presented a motion, voted unanimously, expressing their full solidarity with the King and people of the Kingdom of Morocco in these painful circumstances, as well as their admiration for the spirit of solidarity shown by the Moroccan people and that of citizenship deeply rooted in them.

During the first meeting of this event, the participants discussed several themes relating to the national and international political situation and the roles of legislative institutions. They also reviewed the annual record in areas of legislative priority, with the aim of exchanging visions and experiences in both countries and strengthening parliamentary relations between the two legislative institutions.

For her part, Hon. Nathalie Roy, Speaker of the National Assembly of Quebec, expressed her regrets for the events experienced by Morocco following the earthquake, expressing her wish that the bilateral relationship would continue to embody mutual cooperation in the interests of both countries and their peoples.

The event also featured two workshops during which the participants discussed two main themes: the first on the issue of food security, and the second on renewable energies. In this context, Mr. Hassan Benomar, head of the delegation, pointed out that the world is going through major climate changes and unprecedented crises linked in particular to the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic and the health risks that have reappeared in various parts of the world, which means that the issue of food security occupies an important place on national and international agendas. In the same vein, he pointed out that the global context demands that all Governments and the various stakeholders and actors establish a new global agenda for food sovereignty and security and build effective national models to guarantee a fair and sustainable food supply.

In their interventions, the members of the delegation underlined the efforts made by Morocco in the fight against food security problems, making the Kingdom a model to follow in its assiduous pursuit of this noble objective, and a source of inspiration for many countries around the world. Thanks to the high instructions of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God glorify him, Morocco has succeeded in implementing an integrated approach aimed at securing food supplies, strengthening sustainable agricultural and rural development, prioritizing the protection of natural resources, and adapting to climate change.

Concerning renewable energies, the members of the Moroccan delegation informed their counterparts from the Permanent Morocco-Quebec Inter-Parliamentary Committee of the Moroccan energy plan, which includes 111 renewable energy projects completed or underway. These projects focus on developing new energy resources, such as converting waste (biomass) into energy in major Moroccan cities. The members of the delegation also highlighted the other measures, programs, and projects carried out to date, which have made it possible to achieve a high level of energy abundance and to consolidate the efficiency of its exploitation over the long term.

It should be noted that the Permanent Morocco-Quebec Inter-Parliamentary Committee was created on May 16, 2012, to solidify the friendly and cooperative relations linking the House of Representatives of the Kingdom of Morocco and the National Assembly of Quebec. Meetings of the said Commission are held alternately between the legislative institutions of the two countries.